Every year millions of computers are dumped into landfills instead of being recycled.

But scientists in Romania and Turkey have discovered a way to remove toxic chemicals from old circuit boards and turn the scraps into fuel and other raw materials for consumer products…

Every year millions of computers are dumped into landfills instead of being recycled.

But scientists in Romania and Turkey have discovered a way to remove toxic chemicals from old circuit boards and turn the scraps into fuel and other raw materials for consumer products.

How do they do it?

To remove the toxic flame-retardant additives in the plastic pieces of the circuit boards the scientists used a combination of catalysts (a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction), high temperatures and chemical filtration (the removal of dissolved compounds from water). This makes the pieces environmentally-safe and perfect to use for other products.

This process also recovers precious metals from the circuit boards, as well as valuable organic chemicals.

You can read the entire story here.

This is a great new discovery by the scientists, and if proven to work, it could drastically reduce the computer waste that takes up a lot of space in our landfills.

Plus, any other alternative energy methods are always welcomed during this fuel crisis!

I recently came across one of the coolest gadgets I have ever seen on YankoDesign.com.

For all you green enthusiasts out there who struggle daily to keep your plants healthy and strong, the Pet Plant by Junyi Heo will make your life much easier.

The pet plant has an LCD display screen that shows various pictograms when it needs some attention…

I recently came across one of the coolest gadgets I have ever seen on YankoDesign.com.

For all you green enthusiasts out there who struggle daily to keep your plants healthy and strong, the Pet Plant by Junyi Heo will make your life much easier.

The pet plant has an LCD display screen that shows various pictograms when it needs some attention.

Yes, I did say LCD display.

Check it out:

The pot measures:

• Soil conditions
• Humidity
• Temperature
• Water

It’s apparently smart enough to tell you when any of these factors are negatively affecting the plant, and it can even drain itself into a water vessel.

It also gets its power by a USB interface that hooks up to your computer.

This is truly a cool and innovative gadget for greenies, and even though it does use energy from your computer, it’s also keeping alive a plant that will help circulate oxygen and clean air throughout your home.

Now, where can we get one?

Dell has already pioneered a few green initiatives, such as the Plant a Tree Program and a 100% renewable energy headquarters in Austin, Texas, but the company has certainly gone above and beyond past green efforts by creating a very unique and eco-friendly computer.

You’d have to see it to believe it, but the eco-friendly computer is 80% smaller than a standard desktop PC and its casing is made of’bamboo…

Dell has already pioneered a few green initiatives, such as the Plant a Tree Program and a 100% renewable energy headquarters in Austin, Texas, but the company has certainly gone above and beyond past green efforts by creating a very unique and eco-friendly computer.

You’d have to see it to believe it, but the eco-friendly computer is 80% smaller than a standard desktop PC and its casing is made of’bamboo!

Bamboo’s Popularity

Bamboo has gone from being a panda delicacy to a popular material used for everything from furniture and clothing to paper and musical instruments.

So it should be no surprise that someone was going to come up with bamboo computer cases, and that someone happened to be Dell, one of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the world.

At this year’s Fortune Brainstorm Green Conference, Dell CEO Michael Dell said the bamboo-coated computer is filled with recycled materials and uses 70% less energy than the average computer.

Not much else was said about the green gadget, but it is estimated to cost between $500-$700.

You can see a picture of the computer from the Earth2Tech website below:

We’ll just have to wait and see how eco-friendly these computers truly are when they come out later this year.

Ever since college, Carl Foner has worked with computers. He realized a while ago that there was no way that society could eliminate the total impact that computers have on the environment, but there was a way to reduce it: use eco-friendly computer products.

That’s why Foner created Verdant Computing. All of the products on the site, from the external hard drives and laptop cases to the monitors and ink, must meet strict green standards before they are sold to customers…

Ever since college, Carl Foner has worked with computers. He realized a while ago that there was no way that society could eliminate the total impact that computers have on the environment, but there was a way to reduce it: use eco-friendly computer products.

That’s why Foner created Verdant Computing. All of the products on the site, from the external hard drives and laptop cases to the monitors and ink, must meet strict green standards before they are sold to customers.

Verdant Standards

Every product on the site meets at least one of these green standards:

• Made from recycled material
• Can be recycled
• Energy efficient
• Non-toxic computer parts
• Eco-friendly packaging

Also, almost all of the products carry existing eco-labels from other companies, such as Energy Star, which has already helped many U.S. families save billions of dollars on their energy bills. You can see the list of eco-labels here.

Carl Foner makes sure that Verdant Computing meets green business practices as well. The company provides Carbonfree TM Shipping, the office uses green power (generated by wind farms), compact fluorescent bulbs are used at night and the webhost is powered by solar energy.

If you use a computer daily and you’re looking for ways to make it greener, Verdant Computing is a great place to start.

You can find everything you need for your computer, and you’ll feel good knowing that it is safer for the environment.

If you’re an eco-friendly fan of Dell computer products, then you’ll be happy to know that its 2.1 million square foot headquarters building in Austin, Texas is completely powered by alternative energy.

Dell has partnered with Waste Management’s Austin Community Landfill, which supplies 40% of its gas-to-energy needs, and with TXU Energy…

If you’re an eco-friendly fan of Dell computer products, then you’ll be happy to know that its 2.1 million square foot headquarters building in Austin, Texas is completely powered by alternative energy.

Dell has partnered with Waste Management’s Austin Community Landfill, which supplies 40% of its gas-to-energy needs, and with TXU Energy to supply the rest of its wind-generated power.

Dell Goes Green

The President of Dell, Paul Bell, stated, ‘It’s time for our industry to take a lead role in creating a clean energy future.’

So in addition to having the headquarters go green, other Dell green efforts include:

• Increasing its green power at the Austin Parmer Campus from 8%-17%
• Replacing inefficient lighting and air conditioning units in buildings
• Powering its Twin Falls, Idaho facility with 97% wind power and 3% solar power

The company also hopes to go carbon neutral by the end of 2008 by being more energy efficient and purchasing renewable power.

You can read the entire story here.

Dell is making great strides with their environmental efforts. They have a Plant a Tree Program, in which every purchase you make plants a tree, you can recycle your old Dell computer to minimize your carbon footprint and you can choose from a wide range of green laptops and desktops.

Let’s thank Dell for helping with the fight against global warming.

Whether you’re a college student taking notes in class or a business professional preparing for a presentation, it’s very likely that a laptop is one of your everyday accessories.

We know that computers consume large amounts of energy whenever they’re left on for long periods of time, so one way that you can reduce your laptop’s carbon footprint is to buy an eco-friendly laptop bag…

Whether you’re a college student taking notes in class or a business professional preparing for a presentation, it’s very likely that a laptop is one of your everyday accessories.

We know that computers consume large amounts of energy whenever they’re left on for long periods of time, so one way that you can reduce your laptop’s carbon footprint and live an ecolifestyle is to buy an eco-friendly laptop bag.

I did a little poking around the internet to try and find some of the most stylish, eco-friendly computer bags around, and here’s what I came up with:

Recycled Bags

These bags are made from recycled products such as rice paper, billboard posters, rubber tires and more!

• Movie Billboard Laptop Messenger Bag (re-modern.com) ‘ These waterproof bags are made from recycled vinyl movie posters!
• Recycled Plastic Newspaper Laptop Bag (hipandzen.com) ‘ Made in India, these handmade bags contain no dyes and are made of layers of colored plastic bags and newspaper.
• Chopstick Koo Bag (eco-handbags.ca) ‘ Made from stained bamboo chopsticks and lined with a removable hemp bag.
• Bicycle Tire Inner Tube Messenger Bag (eco-handbags.ca) ‘ This green bag made from recycled bicycle inner tubes can carry your computer and anything else you use daily.
• Overland Equipment Seattle Computer Bag (rei.com) ‘ Made from recycled rubber, PET polyester and aluminum.
• Mid-Size Messenger Bags (donkeyny.com) ‘ Choose from a variety of messenger bags made from old billboards.

Hemp Bags

These are made of hemp, which can be used to make oil, fuel, medicine, clothing and yes, even laptop bags!

• Courier Style Deluxe Vegan Organic Hemp Bag (downBound.com) ‘ Organic hemp bag made with no animal products, so it’s 100% vegan!
• Hemp/PET Laptop Messenger Bag (Timbuk2.com) ‘ This heavy-duty, waterproof hemp bag has loads of pockets for organization.
• Deluxe Hemp Backpack with Laptop Storage (hemp-sisters.com) ‘ This hemp backpack with extra padding has a built-in laptop storage unit.
• Padded Hemp Computer Bag (hemp-sisters.com) ‘ Comes with lots of pockets and a waterproof inner lining.

Organic Cotton Laptop Sleeves

Everything feels good in cotton, especially when it’s pesticide-free cotton!

• Organic Cotton Laptop Sleeve by Passenger Pigeon (reformschoolrules.com) ‘ Choose from an orange wind turbine pattern or a gray little bird pattern.
• Eco Geeko Laptop Sleeve (eco-handbags.ca) ‘ These 100% U.S.-grown organic cotton laptop sleeves are colorful and chic.

All of these items are very eco-friendly ways to carry around your laptop, but by far, the coolest bag I’ve discovered is the Solar Messenger Handbag from EcoExpress.com.

This bag has solar panels built into the bag so you can charge most of your small electronic devices while you’re on-the-go. That’s some serious energy conservation!

Now that you know how to carry your laptop in style, I suggest that you go out and get one of these eco-friendly bags!

According to an article on CNET.com’s News Blog, over 100 million iPods have been sold since their introduction to music lovers in 2001.

This is not a surprise since these high-tech devices can be seen on anyone from elementary school kids and business professionals to college students and stay-at-home moms…

According to an article on CNET.com’s News Blog, over 100 million iPods have been sold since their introduction to music lovers in 2001. This is not a surprise since these high-tech devices can be seen on anyone from elementary school kids and business professionals to college students and stay-at-home moms.

But as cool as they are, iPods generate a lot of pollution when they’re thrown away for new upgrades, and they consume energy when they stay connected to your computer. That means they greatly increase your carbon footprint.

I found a site called Tunes for Trees which will reduce your carbon footprint by planting a tree for every 10 iTunes that you download!

Music Makes a Difference

You seriously can’t walk down a street or get on a bus without seeing someone listening to an iPod. This is because the music is easy to download and the iPod is small enough to carry anywhere.

So if you’re going to download music anyways, why not also contribute to a good cause?

A company called Live it Green came up with the awesome idea to partner with tree planting organizations Sustainable Harvest International and Trees for the Future.

Whenever you buy a track from iTunes, Live it Green receives a tiny portion of the sale to keep its business alive, but then they use the rest of the money to plant a tree.

Their goal was to plant 2,000 trees since their launch in April 2007, and today they’re already at over 2,600 trees planted!

I highly suggest contributing to Tunes for Trees when you buy music tracks. All you have to do is click on the iTunes banner on the homepage. It will automatically enroll you in the program, and then you’ll be able to jam to your favorite tunes while also feeling good about preserving the environment!

Also, don’t forget to check out our blog on Apple’s MacBook Air.

Did you know that for every purchase you make with Dell, they will offset your carbon footprint by planting a tree? I stumbled upon this new eco-friendly program offered by Dell yesterday, and I think it’s a great idea, especially from such a popular brand that provides computers and accessories to everyone from college students to large corporations…

Did you know that for every purchase you make with Dell, they will offset your carbon footprint by planting a tree? I stumbled upon this new eco-friendly program offered by Dell yesterday, and I think it’s a great idea, especially from such a popular brand that provides computers and accessories to everyone from college students to large corporations.

How it Works

The programs works like this: you can either make a donation without purchasing a Dell product, or you can add a small additional fee to your Dell purchase when you checkout online. If you want to make a donation you can donate anywhere from $1 to offset enough carbon created by an inkjet printer, or you can donate $99 and offset the total carbon emissions created by an individual for an entire year!

Your other option is to pay $2 extra with your laptop purchase or $6 with your desktop purchase at checkout. The cool thing is that regardless of the way you pay for your tree planting, you not only receive peace of mind for helping the environment, but you also get a dandy ‘Certificate of Appreciation’ from Dell!

You can read more about the Plant a Tree for Me program here.

Dell Continues to Make an Impact

This isn’t Dell’s first green initiative. They also have a free computer recycling program that allows you to drop off your old computer at any Dell store so its parts can be reused and recycled. And if you don’t mind buying a used computer, you can also buy a refurbished system that still maintains Dell’s standard warranties. Read more about it here.

This is the perfect way for college kids and businesses that go through thousands of computers every year to help the environment. I’d encourage anyone with an old PC to purchase a Dell just because of these great programs!

If you’re a college student then there’s no doubt that you have a computer. How else would you be able to chat with your friends, send email, take notes in class and download your favorite music’all at the same time?

No matter where you look, whether it’s on campus, at a local café, in a bookstore or on the metro, you’ll see college students carrying their favorite laptop around. Unfortunately, even though computers are a necessity to pretty much everyone in the world, they also waste a lot of energy…

If you’re a college student then there’s no doubt that you have a computer. How else would you be able to chat with your friends, send email, take notes in class and download your favorite music’all at the same time? No matter where you look, whether it’s on campus, at a local café, in a bookstore or on the metro, you’ll see college students carrying their favorite laptop around.

Unfortunately, even though computers are a necessity to pretty much everyone in the world, they also waste a lot of energy. People don’t realize how much energy is used when a computer is left on all night, and according to an article on NPR, they’re also a huge contributor of greenhouse gases.

Efficient and Eco-Friendly

Just this past Tuesday Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs introduced a great solution to the average energy-consuming and waste-generating computer: the MacBook Air. Here are some cool eco-friendly features it has:

• Recyclable aluminum case
• Mercury-free LCD display
• Arsenic-free glass
• PVC-free internal cables
• BFR-free circuit boards
• Low volume packaging

The best thing about the new MacBook Air is that it meets the Energy Star Requirements. Plus, it’s apparently the thinnest notebook computer created to date!

You can read more about the release of the MacBook Air here.

Going Green for a High Price

Just like I mentioned in my Green Sports Car blog, I think that it’s great that more products are going green, but they’re also getting more expensive because of it! The MacBook Air is a great idea, but it also costs $1, 799! If manufacturers want college kids and the average citizen to be more environmentally-aware, then they have to make products within their affordable price range.

I do believe that there is a great ‘green’ shift in our future, and I have the hope that prices will adjust accordingly. We’ll just have to wait and see’