We all are aware of the fact that electronic gadgets cause electronic waste when they are discarded. This electronic waste, pinned as e-waste, is reused, resold, or sent for recycling. But this process may threaten the life of workers working in the field as these devices contain hazardous contaminants like lead, cadmium, beryllium, etc. We cannot eliminate this e-waste completely, but we can certainly minimize it by using eco-friendly electronic gadgets. Additionally, we can derive power from the sun to charge our gadgets. Here are some of the best eco-friendly electronics you can use to reduce e-waste and conserve nature.
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Eco-friendly Laptops
Everyone uses computers, laptops, and tablets. Once these devices are worn out, we dump them or recycle them, and they always are a source of hazardous substances that harm the environment. So we need to start buying eco-friendly laptops as they consume less power as well as do not release toxic components while recycling.
Many companies like Lenovo and Asus have taken the initiative for manufacturing eco-friendly laptops. These eco-friendly laptops use biofuel and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The cells of such laptops use natural gas, methanol, and other Eco-friendly liquid fuels. Basically, these laptops use eco-friendly components that make them less harmful to produce and discard.
With major producers taking the initiative to reduce their negative impact on the environment by manufacturing laptops that are compliant with certain environmental standards, the future seems amiable.
Recently Apple, Asus, and Lenovo improved their engineering material selection. They made their laptops more sustainable and got a TCO certification. A TCO certification is the most comprehensive sustainability rating for computers and laptops. Here is a list of eco-friendly laptops in the market. All of these laptops have a TCO certification.
- Apple MacBook
- Lenovo ThinkPad T480
- Asus VivoBook 15 X505BP (EPEAT certification)
- HP ENVY – 13-ah0044tx (EPEAT Silver certification)
To save water
During showers, a lot of us waste a significant amount of water. We get so engaged in our showers thinking about the way our world works and philosophizing the meaning of life that we don’t notice the amount of water being wasted. Water Pebble is a gadget that helps reduce water wastage. You can place a water pebble near your water tub plug or the drain. There is a limit of water that you can use for your shower. If we extend that limit, the water pebble will warn us by indicating red light. In this way, you can save energy consumption as well as water.
To save power
Green chargers
Green chargers are automatic chargers for your phones and laptops. They check whether the device needs charging. When the battery of the device is low, the charger starts charging the device. After a complete charge, the charger will automatically shut off and thus reduce power consumption. The average energy saved by green chargers is around 80 percent. Belkin manufactures a wide range of chargers under its Conserve brand that is aimed at helping users reduce their power intake. Here are our top picks:
Solar chargers
When solar chargers first came into the market, they did stir up some general interest. However, after the first wave of the technology was bought, everyone realized that these eco-friendly electronic chargers were too finicky for the minimal advantage they provided.
Today, however, the scenario is different. The technology is near perfect, and we have super convenient solar power banks that pack a punch. They can charge entire laptops and still have juice left over to boost a smartphone. Here are our top picks for the most durable and power-packed eco-friendly chargers.
- Kiizon Solar Phone Charger 25000mAh Outdoor Portable Chargers with Dual 2.1A https://amzn.to/35yDchJ
- JETSUN Solar Charger 16750mAh Portable Solar Power Bank with Waterproof Solar Panel https://amzn.to/2B4ocud
- TOP SELLING – Solar Charger 20000mAh, Qi Wireless Portable Solar Power Bank, Rainproof External Backup Battery Pack with 4 Output&Input https://amzn.to/2oCOReT
LED bulbs – Philips Hue
Forgot to turn off the light while leaving your home? No issue! You can now manage your LED light bulbs using the Philips Hue app. You can not only switch on and off the bulb but also control colors, brightness, intensity, and functions. Another feature of this technology from Philips is a bridge that can link over 50 bulbs to your Wi-Fi router. You can even link them to the web and be in full control of the lights in your house, thus saving a large amount of energy.
You can buy these here:
India
US: Philips Hue 2-Pack Premium Smart Light Starter Kit, 16 million colors, for most lamps & overhead lights, Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant https://amzn.to/2MDtPVj
Eco-friendly Batteries
USB Cell rechargeable batteries
Moixa Energy Ltd and many other companies are investing in manufacturing USB Cells to replace the normal alkaline batteries. Any USB charger or a computer can recharge these batteries. The USB rechargeable batteries look similar to our normal daily use of alkaline batteries. But the positive end has a USB plug that can be connected to a USB charger. The time taken by these batteries to charge is nearly 5 hours.
“http://www.amazon.in/2Pcs-1300mAh-Lithium-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B00ZP6SWKE?tag=googinhydr18418-21&tag=googinkenshoo-21&ascsubtag=d3db34ff-0216-448d-b97f-e759bdbf22a8 Buy (India)
http://www.amazon.com/USBCELL-MXAA02-AA-Rechargable-Battery/dp/B000LV8YKQ
To save trees
With the rise in awareness of protecting the environment, there has been a shift towards choosing wood as an engineering material in some industries. Today, you can see beautifully crafted gadgets with wooden panels, exteriors, and shells. In addition to adding a wooden aesthetic, these gadgets reduce the collective negative impact on the environment a notch. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary to spruce up our workspace or inventory, here are some of our favorite eco-friendly wooden gadgets.
Wooden keyboards
Have you ever used one of these? If not, then let me tell you what it feels like. The hard polished wooden surface going click-click softly with every tap is perhaps one of the most satisfying noises from a keyboard that I have ever experienced. The keys are solid, don’t jitter in their cavities, and you just feel posh. Why not give these a try.
Top wooden keyboards
- Wooden keyboard and mouse combo
- Luxury backlit wooden mechanical keyboard
Related: Improb has compiled a comprehensive list of the best quiet mechanical keyboards here.
Wooden watches
Original Grain is a brand that makes eco-friendly watches using sustainable mahogany wood. They use a combination of wood and stainless steel to create these vintage-looking masterpieces. Moreover, they plant a tree for every watch they sell and have so far planted over 500,000 trees. The watches are in the middle-upper tier in terms of quality. So you can rest assured that you won’t be compromising on quality. Here are their best-selling models.
