How to Make Your Cell Phone use Green

It’s a fact that there are ‘greener’ things than cell phones. But for most of us, smoke signals and tin can telephones just don’t get the job done anymore. But don’t fret! There are a few easy steps that everyone can take to make their mobile phone use as ecologically friendly as possible.

1. Always unplug your cell phone charger when it’s not being used! Leaving your charger plugged in wastes energy and costs you money. I know almost nobody that follows this advice, and until a few months ago I had never even considered how chargers not is use would waste energy.
2. Only charge your phone when the battery is almost completely dead. New phone batteries can last up to a week without needing to be charged. Don’t get into the habit of charging your cell phone every night even though it may not need it.
3. Dispose of your cell phone battery properly! Even though most cell phone batteries aren’t the most hazardous substances on the planet, that still doesn’t mean you should throw them in the old bonfire. Because of The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation there is a location near you that will accept your old cell phone batteries for recycling.
4. Consider buying a solar cell phone charger. No matter what brand of cell phone you have there is brand of solar cell phone charger that will work for you. Solaris makes a brand of charger that will work with almost any phone including the iPhone. Xcite makes a similarly useful charger. SolLight makes a charger specifically for the iPhone.
5. Take steps to prolong your cell phone battery life. Hold down the ‘#’ key and lock your cell phone. Use the ‘tools’ section of your phone’s menu to minimize the amount of time the back light is on. If possible, minimize the brightness of the back light. These are just a few steps you can take.

These are just a few ideas that I use to prevent energy waste. What else do you do to make your phone use green? Leave your ideas in the comments!

I can’t help myself. I really love the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lose Your Excuse commercials. This one is called “Malcolm”

Did you know that leaving a phone charger plugged in without a phone attached wastes energy? I guess I had never thought of it until I saw this hilarious commercial from the Department of Energy today.

The commercial is called “April” and it is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lose Your Excuse program.

Bike Sharing

Reading the Chicago Tribune this morning while having morning coffee, I came across an interesting article on “bike sharing” in Chicago.   With  a swipe of an Id card, students can unlock bikes to ride to class or off campus.  Some Chicago  workplaces have begun offering bikes for their employees from the Sears Tower to the Field Museum.  You  can check out a bike and ride around Chicago or the Lake Front during your lunch hour.  What a novel idea.  Mayor Daley introduced it to Chicago after a visit to Paris where it is used city wide.    I would like to see this “green-bike”  program sprout all over, isn’t it an interesting concept?  No charge, just check out a bike, great for the environment, great for your health, just a good idea all around.

2 wind energy turbines in background supply energy for drive-in.

This has to be a first, on the news this morning was information on a Drive-In movie theater in Gibson, Illinois  that has really gone green. Two wind energy driven turbines supply electricity for the theater.  Killowatt hours generated go directly to the local power company grid and whatever is generated when the theater is not in use earns credit for future use.   If you would like to read more try this link to the Paxton Record.

What a unique idea, I hope it catches on.

Wind Generator #1

          

Wind generator #2

Fortune recently made a list of the 10 Green Giants.  The Green Giants were the top 10 companies that “have gone beyond what the law requires to operate in an environmentally responsible way”.  The companies are investing in energy efficiency which will end up paying off big in the future.  They are steps ahead of their competitors and leading the way to a smarter way of doing business.  With the money and resources these companies have, them starting to see the benefits of going “green” has the opportunity to make a big difference quickly.  Here is the list:

1.  Honda – Most fuel efficient auto company in the U.S.

2. Continental Airlines – Engineered more fuel efficient aircraft with Boeing

3. Suncor (Canada) – Oil/Energy Company that carefully measures environmental impact of each project and works to reduce impact

4. Tesco (Britain) – Grocer with wind-powered stores, biodiesel delivery trucks and more

5. Alcan (Canada) – Aluminum maker that has heavily reduced greenhouse output and continues to increase energy efficiency

6. Pacific Gas & Electric – 56 percent of its retail electricity sales from non-greenhouse-gas-emitting sources, a great start

7. S.C. Johnson – Since its inception has worked to reduce pollutants in its household products also built its own power plant that uses gas produced from a nearby land fill

8. Goldman Sachs – Invested 1.5 billion in cellulose ethanol, also investing in wind and solar energy

9. Swiss Re (Switzerland) – Insurer that is working to help individuals effected by climate change

10. Hewlett-Packard – Continuously working to reduce the environmental impact of their computer products and striving toward a 20% energy consumption reduction

Consumer Reports Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs

This book shares a lot in common with another book I reviewed a few weeks ago, 10 Minute Energy Saving Secrets. Both books cover a lot of the same topics, but the big difference is that this book gives step by step instructions on how to accomplish a lot of the tips mentioned in both books. These step-by-step guides explain tasks such as dryer maintenance, sealing ductwork, installing weather strips, and more. This Consumer Reports guide also features lots of full color graphs, charts, maps, and pictures to help explain exactly what they are trying to get across.

Although the title doesn’t spell this out, 90% of what is in this book is aimed towards homeowners. I would have a hard time recommending this book to anyone who doesn’t own their own home. On the other hand, I can easily recommend this book as a great guide for any homeowner.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 apples. I dock it a point because its readership isn’t fully inclusive.

Find this book at Green Store And More

I was starting to think about winterizing my home as the cool fall nights are approaching our Chicago area home and I came across a tip, that I used when my children were in school and forgot about.
Everyone knows we need to insulate windows and doors to make sure the cold outside air stays out side but we forget light switches and plugs.

Take the plates off light switches and plugs on outside walls and insulate them. They can be insulated with Styrofoam that you throw away from meat trays, easy to cut and fit behind the wall plate.

I have saved and washed the Styrofoam from my meat trays and I am ready to do the project this weekend. Give it a try and let me know what you think. It really is simple and saves energy and the earth by not throwing away Styrofoam that will not decay in the landfills.