Env-Friendly Technology

You shall notice that there are quite a number of home electronics products like refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air-conditioners, boilers, lighting lamps and ballasts are labelled with Energy Star logo. Do you know what does it means?

About Energy Star
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Results are already adding up. Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2006 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars — all while saving $14 billion on their utility bills.

The government’s ENERGY STAR label on lighting means you’re getting a product that is superior in energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 6–10 times longer. You’ll save energy and money, and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. Protect the environment of today and tomorrow — start by changing a light!

Via Energy Star

This will help to reduce the climate crisis like global warming: lower carbon dioxide emissions of your appliances and electronics. The very first steps that we can do as a consumer is to change your light bulbs. Again, have you change yours?

Technorati Tag:energystar, global-warming

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Every one is talking about recycling nowadays and do you know what are the main reason to recycle?

Here are the top 10 reasons to recycle given by Aluminium Association.

Recycling saves energy, creates income and helps our economy.

Saving Energy: For each pound of metal recycled, the aluminum industry saves the energy resources needed to generate about 7.5 kilowatt-hours of electricity.  That’s enough energy to meet the electric needs of a city like Pittsburgh, Pa. for six years!

Creating Income: Can recycling has created about 30,000 new jobs at recycling centers, aluminum companies and in the transportation support industries.  A used aluminum can returned to a recycling center is worth over a penny to a consumer.  Sure, a penny may not seem like a lot, but when you take into consideration the amount of canned drinks Americans consume each day, the totals really add up!

Helping the Economy: A used aluminum can returned to a recycling center is worth over a penny to a consumer.  Sure, a penny may not seem like a lot, but when you take into consideration the amount of canned drinks Americans consume each day, the totals really add up!

As you can see, the reasons to recycle aluminum are endless, but here are the Top 10 Reasons To Recycle Aluminum Cans:

10.  Because you "can."
 9.  You can earn cash for cans.
 8.  Recycling aluminum uses 95% less energy than making new aluminum.  The energy saved can power a TV for three hours!
 7.  You can help the environment one can at a time.
 6.  Aluminum is the most recycled beverage container.
 5.  Once an aluminum can is recycled, it can be part of a new can within 60 days.
 4.  There is no limit to the amount of times aluminum can be recycled.
 3.  We use over 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year.
 2.  The recycling industry employs tens of thousands of people.
 1.  … and the #1 reason to recycle aluminum …Money from aluminum can recycling goes toward building more Habitat for Humanity homes!

Source :  Aluminium Association

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Some green tips that we can practice daily (from GreenPeace), let’s see have many of it I’m practising…

Water
1.Fix any leaky water pipes. Even a small drip can add up to a lot of water over time. (It saves our water bill as well)
2.Wash your car the natural way – wait till it rains. (This is what i practice normally, the main reason is I’m too lazy to wash my car. But who knows that it actually saved water in the natural way…)

Energy
1.Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. (This is what i do and i keep on mentioning this on this blog as well)
2.Avoid using cars – walk, cycle or use public transportation whenever possible. (As i mentioned in my previous post on 5 simplest ways to reduce Global Warming, plan your journey ahead will also help to save energy.)
3.Avoid anything battery operated (or use rechargeable or solar rechargeable if batteries are unavoidable). (I think AA and AAA batteries are the most widely use in our household, rechargeable batteries will help in this case)

Toxics
1.Avoid the use of polyvinyl chloride (also known as PVC or vinyl) in your home. The entire life cycle of products made from PVC pollutes the environment and your home. PVC items include shower curtains, flooring, even some children’s toys. (I have stopped by those economic rice stores and durian stores that use PVC. Alternatively i eat there instead of take away.)

Waste
1.Take your own bags to the grocery store. If you take plastic bags, use them until they are worn out. (Not many hypermarket in our country are encouraging this, except IKEA Singapore. I think what we can do is not to request more plastic bag that we need.)
2.Avoid excess packaging. (I seldom do packaging, gifts and present are normally give to friends and relatives without any packaging…yes I’m too lazy to do that…)
3.Always use reusable mugs, lunch containers, batteries, pens, razors, etc. (Shall we always carry our own dinning sets?)

Visit GreenPeace for a full list. Are you practising it?

Technorti Tags: greenpeace

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An interesting video from GreenPeace to remind people to change their light bulb. Have you change yours?

Technorati Tags: global-warming, greenpeace

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Everyone is taking about how to reduce usage the for plastic bag to save our environment. This fashionable branded “I’m not a plastic bag” (designed by Anya Hindmarch) has been selling like hotcakes recently and it’s overwhelming during its launching in Hong Kong recently. People has been queueing up 11p.m one day before the launching date. Will this be as hot as the iPhone launching recently?

I think most of the people buy it because it’s a fashion statement, but it also helps the planet because people now have a fashionable alternative to plastic bag.

Facts: Plastic can take up to 400 years to break down in a landfill.

Technorati Tags: i’m not a plastic bag, anya hindmarch

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07072007 will be the remarkable date for the new seven wonders to be announced in Lisbon. I have voted for this in New7Wonders.com in the pass few months. I haven’t got chance to visit any of the old 7 wonders before and now it comes a new 7 wonders of the world.

For those who are not sure about this program, here are some of the explanation from Wikipedia.

The New Seven Wonders of the World is a proposed revision of the Seven Wonders of the World, organized by a Swiss corporation called New Open World Corporation (NOWC). The selection is being made by free and paid votes, through telephone or online. The first vote is free to registered members and additional votes may be purchased through a payment to NOWC. In addition to the sale of votes, NOWC relies on private donations, the sale of merchandise such as shirts and cups, and revenue from selling broadcasting rights.

This event are with criticism as for myself, i noticed that many of my friends are not aware of this new7Wonders vote, how bout those who have no internet access? Anyway this event has come to the end of the vote and the new7Wonders will be announced soon.

For sure, Pyramids of Giza will be in the list but Great Wall is the only wonder left for China.

Technorati Tags: new7wonders, seven wonders

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I think this cool cap is most suiltable to be used in tropical country like Malaysia, the hotter the sun shines, the fan turns faster, and you will feel cooler…

What make the fan turns? Thanks to the Solar top panel, with this we can have alternative to the usual cap and go for this value added ‘Cool Cap’…

Source : Select Solar

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