Sustainable Technologies at Home
Sustainable technologies at home allow individuals to live their lives without producing unnecessary waste and pollution. They may cost a bit more up-front, but will help the Earth and save you money in the long run.
Imagine a different kind of light bulb, one that lasted as long as a fluorescent bulb, but without the buzz, as energy-efficient as a CFL but with a more pleasing light. Meet the FIPEL bulb.
We live in a universe of clocks. The technology may not sound as dependable as your cell phone alarm clock, but humans have turned to water-powered clocks for more than three and a half millennia.
Electronics use a lot of juice. So what's an environmentally responsible citizen to do? Going solar might just be the answer.
There is no accepted standard of what makes a "green" gadget. With that in mind, here are five devices that do not use any energy at all or that find novel ways to rethink a common gadget while also making environmental improvements.
Top 5 Things You Can Do to Compute Greener
If you're like most folks, you spend a few hours a day on the computer. What changes can you make to save power without compromising the way your work?
When you take a shower, the hot water moves quickly from the showerhead down the drain. What if you could reclaim that wasted heat to warm up new water?
If you turn off the lights in your computer room, you'll probably see the glowing eyes of vampire electronics peering back at you. A smart power strip can help you cut down on how much energy they waste.
While many of us are phasing out our incandescents for CFLs one bulb at a time, there might be a third contender on the market soon enough. LEDs are making the shift from your headlights to your bedside lamps.
Solar air conditioners take advantage of the sun at its brightest and use its energy to cool you during the hottest part of the day. What are we waiting for?
What if your net power usage was zero? Some homes combine energy efficiency with their own power plants to end up consuming no energy at all.
Imagine finishing off a nice cup of morning coffee and then, instead of throwing the grounds into the trash, pouring them into a cartridge where they become printer ink.
Green technology is always better, right? Not so fast. Find out five of the biggest misconceptions about green technology.
As the symbol of innovation, the incandescent light bulb is not very innovative. Luckily, there's a new type of light bulb -- a greener one -- that stands poised to replace Edison's most famous invention as the icon of ideation.
If you drive a compressed natural gas vehicle, you'll soon learn that fill-up stations are few and far between. Is there an alternative way to gas up these alternative-fuel vehicles?
Is the remote control dead again? Or does the flashlight need another eight new batteries? The wind might just be able to save you a trip to buy new AAs.
If you've ever used a solar-powered calculator, you've experienced the power of thin-film solar cells. But can spray-on solar panels take that technology one step further?
When you get that gas or electric bill at the end of the month, you may swear off long, hot showers. But if your resolution always seems to cool after a few days, you might be a good candidate for a solar water heater.
Just look at any office printer for a pile of mistakes -- accidentally printed e-mails, multiple copies, practically blank pages. What are some tips (and tricks) for cutting back on your paper, ink and spending?
Top 5 Ways to Save the Planet with Bicycles
Bicycling has the potential to improve our environment, health and happiness in a big way. These five points will make you want to pump up your tires and get your bike rolling again.
Top 5 Energy-efficient Computer Monitors
While the typical home computer setup is a moderate power drain, the computer monitor accounts for nearly all of the system's energy consumption. What are five monitors that won't eat up so many watts?
In response to heavy criticism, the mobile phone industry has started going green. What are five of the greenest mobile phones out there?
There's nothing particularly organic about a robot, even if you dress it in hemp and fuel it with alternative energy. But these five can help our planet one mechanical movement at a time.
How Mobile Energy Management Systems Work
As part of managing your energy use, it's important to know how much electricity you're actually using, and your monthly electric bill may not tell the full story.
The world flushes up to 20 percent of its drinking water down various drains. That's a lot of water going to waste. Waterless toilets could squelch the squandering.
How Portable Centrifugal Oil Cleaning Systems Work
Left unchecked, friction between the moving parts of an engine would turn it into an inert piece of sculpture. Clean, filtered oil keeps the parts moving with relatively little resistance.
