A Green Life Can Start Anywhere!

"Green living"...where do we start?
Searching for "green" on any search engines results in many eco-friendly sites! Narrowing your searches to "green cleaning" or "green energy" will still display numerous results! We must not use the excuse "I don't know where to begin" anymore!
All the while we are exploring our options to adjust our lives to save and replenish, we utilize tools that are not necessarily "green-friendly"...our computers!
These devices, these portals to the rest of our world, do leave a serious carbon footprint!
We can reduce this footprint with a few behavior adjustments to our "green" searches.
For a start, turn your computer off or unplug it from the wall when not using! Don't leave the plug in the outlet, either! This will halt "phantom" power consumption. Even leaving your cell phone plugged in after the recharging cycle still consumes power...I find my laptop seems to function more efficiently after I shut it down when not using!
Have your power saving/management options enabled and properly configured for periods when your computer is temporarily not in use.
During usage, only have your screen as bright as you need it - unnecessarily bright screens really chew the juice.
If you're going to use a screen saver, use a blank (black) screen - animated screen savers just consume electricity unnecessarily.(I know this is not pretty...)
For your next computer, consider a notebook instead of desktop - these use under 50% the electricity of a desktop machine. (I believe many consumers are moving in this direction already!)
If you can afford it, buy extended warranty with your new system so there's less likelihood of you needing to junk the computer within the first few years if an expensive repair is needed. Go ahead, make the salesperson happy! They get credit for the upsell and realistically, you may end up saving money in the long run!
Before purchasing a new computer, consider upgrading the hardware in your current machine. Some extra RAM (memory) or a new hard drive may be all you need to restore life to your current system. According to this site, the energy needed to churn out a new computer is enough to power a system for a decade!
When you do replace your current computer system, donate it rather than bin it if possible. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, e-waste is now the fastest growing aspect of the municipal waste stream. You can find places to donate your computer to on Earth911.org
These are just a few helpful tips and this is where I continue to increase my functional knowledge so I can reduce my carbon footprint!
Check out GreenLivingTips.com for more info!
Reducing our footprints can also result in lower costs in our lives! The same thought process can be used for health insurance and home refinancing! Always remember, you are the consumer and the suppliers need you to exist!