Comments on: How You Can Reduce Your Computer’s Electricity Use to a Sustainable Level

By: anonymouse

anonymouse — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 01:20:16 +0000

Another idea: instead of buying used, try looking for an organization in your town like Free Geek …

http://www.freegeek.org/ (portland, or)
http://freegeekcolumbus.org/ (columbus, oh)

Volunteers rebuild old computers and laptops, install a copy of Ubuntu Linux, and then give them away for free after one has attended several workshops and classes on basic computer maintenance, etc.

By: tony

tony — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 19:53:55 +0000

Hi Alison,

It can be tricky to know when to dispose of an older but functioning object and get a new, more efficient one. I love making things last a long time, mending clothes, fixing computers, etc.

There are some things though, where the math makes it pretty clear that it is better to replace than continue using. Such things include:

– Incandescent lightbulbs
– Refrigerators from the 1960s
– CRT Monitors
– Old cars that get 15 mpg
– etc.

A quick google found this tidbit:

Each LCD monitor that replaces a CRT monitor saves the University about 344 kWh of electricity ($30.96), or 104 kg of carbon dioxide emissions, per year (http://inews.berkeley.edu/articles/Sep2009/CRT-replacement)

Thats the equivalent of burning 11 gallons of gas.

I don’t think it takes that much energy to create a new LCD monitor. I think it is best for the environment to recycle your CRT and get an efficient LCD or laptop.

By: Lagomorph » Blog Archiv » What is the Carbon Footprint of the Internet

Lagomorph » Blog Archiv » What is the Carbon Footprint of the Internet — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 19:41:48 +0000

[...] separate home computer impact and the impact of servers and internet infrastructure. See my post on reducing your computer’s eco impact for more on the [...]

By: Alison Kerr

Alison Kerr — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:50:13 +0000

“heaven forbid you still have a CRT monitor” – um, yes, my CRT is still working so I’m still using it. I happen to think it would be environmentally irresponsible to dispose of it to buy something new. And my computer has had a new disk drive, added memory, and even new capacitors on the motherboard in order to avoid replacing it.

I like the detail in your post, but the confusion as to environmental effects comes when we begin to consider the life-cycle of a product. Can I save enough energy to make it worthwhile disposing of something and buying a newer, more energy-efficient replacement, whether it be a car, a computer, a dishwasher, or a 95% efficient furnace?

By: How to Reduce Your Computer's Energy Use | Sustainablog

How to Reduce Your Computer's Energy Use | Sustainablog — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:03:42 +0000

[...] might consider this guest post on keeping computer energy use down by Tony Sirna a bit ironic, as we’re all sitting around a [...]