The green revolution has taken the world by storm and being ecologically friendly is now a very big business. Computer technology has evolved significantly as a result, with dozens of companies now touting low energy, environmentally friendly alternatives to the power hungry devices of years past. One thing being lost in the midst of this cacophony of sales pitches however, is the fact that new, ecologically friendly computers can actually be more harmful to the environment and cost more energy (at least in the short term) than their old, used, predecessors.
Myth: Newer Computers Are Better For The Environment
This statement can actually go both ways. While green computers do use less electricity than older machines, the process of making a new computer and then disposing of the old one can actually be much more harmful than using the old one. All computers contain components made with heavy metals such as lead and are manufactured in processes that require harsh and toxic chemical techniques. When a new computer is manufactured it requires large amounts of energy and natural resources to create it. When an old computer is discarded it may at best be recycled, at worst it winds up in a landfill potentially polluting the environment. Recycling old computers is a much better option, but even then, decently equipped late model computers are often resold overseas to developing countries, passing on the energy and disposal problems to someone else.
Reality: Upgrading A Computer Is The Only Ecologically Sound Choice
While not all computers are able to be upgraded, doing so when appropriate is by far the best way to save money both in energy and in materials costs. Upgrading an old, energy intensive hard drive to a new, solid state drive provides greatly increased capacity, greatly reduced energy consumption, and the added benefit of generating less heat inside the case. If the computer is too slow as a whole, the existing case can often be reused by upgrading the motherboard and CPU. By upgrading instead of replacing, a computer can be granted many more years of useful service.
Myth: You Have To Buy New To Be Green
Perhaps the absolute most valuable thing a person can do to make their computer more energy efficient is to simply turn it off. The days where it was said to leave the computer on at night have passed and the vast majority of computer technicians now say to turn a computer off when not in use. At the very least, a user should set the power management settings to allow the computer to go into the low power sleep mode after twenty or thirty minutes of inactivity. Another incredibly simple way to save energy is to simply turn off the power bar after turning off the computer. Most computers, monitors, printers, and other devices still draw small amounts of power even when turned off. Either turn off the master switch or purchase an energy aware power strip.
Following any of these tips will save a user a lot of money over the long term. Remember that green computing should be less about buying new equipment and more about making the equipment you already own more energy efficient.
