Easy Green Home Plans Is Your Computer Green Get A Green Makeover

Chances are that you’re not going to swap out the CPU. But you can renovate your system and save beaucoup watts (and dollars, too) by making the following changes:

Replacing energy-draining components with more efficient models:
If you’re still using an old CRT monitor, trading it for an LCD monitor is a good bet. Your graphics card can also use a lot of energy if you’re a gamer, use graphics-intensive programs like Photoshop or Photoshop
Elements, or watch a lot of movies on your computer. Many graphics card manufacturers have stepped up the efficiency of their products in recent years, so you’ll find it worthwhile to take a look.

Increasing RAM and storage capacity: RAM (Random Access Memory) stores the programs and files you open and work with during a single work session. When you turn the computer off, whatever is stored in RAM goes away (the actual program and your saved data file remain in storage on your hard disk, however). Computers that don’t have enough RAM run slowly and spend a substantial amount of time retrieving information and updating memory; this causes more processing and increases wear and tear on the system. If your computer is running slowly, redrawing the screen at an agonizing rate, and chewing on even simple changes for a long period of time, adding RAM to your computer can help speed up things and reduce the processing power your computer is using.

If your computer is pretty quick with programs and files, but turns sluggish when you hop online, your Internet connection (not your RAM) may be the culprit. Flip to Chapter 4 for help on testing and upgrading your Internet connection.

Storage memory, on the other hand, reflects your computer’s capacity to store files such as photos, documents, home movies, software, and more. If you’re considering replacing your computer because you’re running out of room, check out the section “What’s a Terabyte among Friends?” later in this chapter, which explains just how easy replacing your hard drive or adding an external hard drive can be.

Choosing an earth-friendly laptop battery: The first step, of course, is to use the one you’ve got as long as you can and then dispose of it properly when it begins to bow out. When you’re ready to shop for a new
battery, look for green batteries like the Boston Power Enviro battery available for 18 different HP laptops. The Enviro can be charged 1,000 times (average laptop batteries begin to show a drop in quality after 100
to 150 charges) and is made from earth-healthy materials.

Swapping your old power supply for a greener model: Most power supplies pump out one steady rate of power whether your system uses the whole amount or not. You can check out the 80 plus program (www.80plus.org) to find a power supply that delivers only the amount of power the computer and peripherals are drawing. All power supplies certified for the 80 Plus program are also lead free, making them environmentally friendly, too.

By: Executive,

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No home is perfect. Taking steps to make your home green is a hugely commendable effort. I operate a site that overviews the easy ways to take your home to the next level of eco friendliness www.easygreenhomeplans.com.