Green Gadgets For Dummies

Save some green by going green with these environmentally friendly
gadgets!

With concern for the future of our environment growing stronger
and more serious every day, there has never been a better time to
take a new approach to some of the most popular gizmos and gadgets
on the market and learn how you can convernt to electronics that
have minimal environmental impact.

Green gadgets encompass everything from iPods to
energy-efficient home entertainment devices to solar laptop
chargers and crank-powered gizmos. This helpful resource explains
how to research green gadgets, make a smart purchasing decision,
use products you already own in a more environmentally friendly
way, and say goodbye to electronics that zap both energy and
money.

• Explore the environmental and financial benefits of green
  gadgets with this friendly reference

• Discusses which gadgets save energy-and which ones create
  energy

• Learn ways to offset your carbon footprint when you can't
  reduce consumption

• Get tips for understanding products labels and avoiding
  "greenwash"

• Discover how to calculate the energy and money your gadgets
  consume

Get moving and start living green with this informative guide to
environmentally and wallet-friendly gadgets!

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are
not included as part of eBook file.

Auteur

Joe Hutsko is a technology enthusiast, a journalist, an author, and a consultant. He contributes to the New York Times blog Green Inc., and has covered the latest tech trends for Fortune, MSNBC.com, Wired, the Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, Macworld, PC World, TV Guide, and others. He runs the green gadget blog gGadget.org and his personal Web site, JOEyGADGET.com.

Résumé
Save some green by going green with these environmentally friendly gadgets! With concern for the future of our environment growing stronger and more serious every day, there has never been a better time to take a new approach to some of the most popular gizmos and gadgets on the market and learn how you can convernt to electronics that have minimal environmental impact.

Green gadgets encompass everything from iPods to energy-efficient home entertainment devices to solar laptop chargers and crank-powered gizmos. This helpful resource explains how to research green gadgets, make a smart purchasing decision, use products you already own in a more environmentally friendly way, and say goodbye to electronics that zap both energy and money.

• Explore the environmental and financial benefits of green gadgets with this friendly reference
• Discusses which gadgets save energy-and which ones create energy
• Learn ways to offset your carbon footprint when you can't reduce consumption
• Get tips for understanding products labels and avoiding "greenwash"
• Discover how to calculate the energy and money your gadgets consume
  Get moving and start living green with this informative guide to environmentally and wallet-friendly gadgets!

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Contenu

Foreword xix

Introduction 1

About Green Gadgets For Dummies 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Conventions Used in This Book 3

What You Don't Have to Read 3

How This Book Is Organized 4

Part I: Settling into a Green Gadget Mindset 4

Part II: Getting Green with Gadgets You Own 4

Part III: Minimizing Your Computer's Carbon Footprint 4

Part IV: Acquiring Green Gadgets and Gear 5

Part V: Ridding Yourself of Gadgets the Green Way 5

Part VI: The Part of Tens 5

The companion Web site 5

Icons Used in This Book 6

Where to Go from Here 6

Part I: Settling into a Green Gadget Mindset 7

Chapter 1: Mother Nature's Green-Eyed View of Gadgets 9

Hey, Joe, Where You Goin' with That Green Gadget in Your Hand? 10

Assessing green companies 12

Defining gadgets 14

Defining green gadgets 15

Relating the Four Rs to Green Gadgets 16

Following a Green Gadget's Carbon Footprint 17

Thoughtful manufacturing 18

Ecofriendly features 19

Other green electronics 20

Understanding Energy Star and EPEAT Green Gadget Labels 22

Implementing Green Living Habits with Gadgets You Already Own 24

Taking a bite out of energy vampires 24

Calculating your gadgets' carbon footprints 25

Taking other simple green gadget steps 26

Staying Informed about Green Gadget Developments 27

Chapter 2: Practicing Green Gadget Living 29

Evaluating Your Energy Waste, er, Usage 30

Reducing Your Gadgets' Carbon Footprints and E-Waste 33

Reusing Your Gadgets and Electronics Gear 34

Recycling Gadgets the Green Way 35

Rethinking Your Gadget Purchases 36

Sharing Your Gadget Greenness with Others 38

Part II: Getting Green with Gadgets You Own 41

Chapter 3: Saving Money (and the Planet) with Rechargeable Batteries 43

Understanding Basic Battery Pluses and Minuses 44

Hunting and Gathering Battery-Powered Gadgets in Your House 44

Sorting Out and Choosing Rechargeable Batteries and Chargers 46

Gauging matters of size, type, power, and price 47

Picturing how long battery types last 50

Getting a charge out of chargers 50

Choosing rechargeable batteries and chargers 53

Finding Rechargeable Battery Packs 55

Buying rechargeable batteries for less 56

Replacing rechargeable batteries in iPods, iPhones, and other sealed gadgets 56

Properly Disposing of Dead Batteries 57

Disposable batteries 57

Rechargeable batteries 59

Chapter 4: Maximizing Energy Savings for Your Portable Gadgets 61

Getting a Grip on a Gadget's Energy-Saving Settings 61

Battery-draining items 63

Cellphones and smartphones 65

MP3 and media players 69

Digital cameras and camcorders 71

Running Mobile Applications to Monitor and Adjust Power 72

Chapter 5: Energy Savings All Around the House 75

Practicing Green Living in Your House 75

Reviewing Energy-Saving Opportunities in Your House 77

Televisions 78

Computers and peripheral devices 79

Mobile phones, MP3 players, GPS trackers, and other personal gadgets 79

Adjusting Power-Saving Options on TVs and Entertainment Gear 80

Taming TV power 80

Reducing power consumption in DVD, video game, and other types of players 82

Part III: Minimizing Your Computer's Carbon Footprint 87

Chapter 6: Your Computer's Energy Use 89

Quashing Computer Power Myths 89

Evaluating Your Everyday Computer Needs 93

Understanding Computer Energy-Saving Settings 94

Changing your computer's energy settings the easy way 97 Taking greater control of your computer's energy settings 98&...