Computers have become a part of our daily lives and there is always a point when you will need to dispose old computers for a new one. Disposing computers improperly can have adverse effects of the environment. Therefore, it is very important to dispose computers correctly. Recycling computers correctly can help prevent any environmental hazards from occurring due to the toxic substances present in some parts of the computer.

Here are some useful guidelines that will make it easy for you to recycle your computers.

• Before you consider recycling your computer, you must first rethink if you actually need to buy a new computer and recycle the old one. In some cases, it is possible to refurbish your old computer and make it useful again. Reusing your existing computer with simple upgrade is much more eco-friendly than recycling. Therefore try and use your computer to the maximum before you get it recycled. This will be better for the environment as well as the environment.
  
• Instead of buying a new computer consider buying a used computer and just upgrade it with the latest software and programs. This will prevent waste getting dumped in our landfills.
  
• If you really think that it is necessary to buy a new computer then you should get your old computer recycled appropriately. You can find a list of manufacturers and local companies online that cater to recycling computers. Do some research and select a recycling center that will accept your old computer for recycling. Nowadays many companies launch recycling programs regularly. For example, Samsung had recently launched a state of the art recycling program for computers throughout the states of USA.
  
• Many parts of the computer can get recycled - the cords, monitor, keyboard, CD ROM drive, Circuit Boards and many more. Therefore, do not dispose them just like that. If some parts of your computer are in good condition and functioning properly, such as the plastic case or keyboard, get it refurbished. Rest of the parts can be bought.
  
• You can earn some cash when you get your computer recycled. There are some online sites that accept old electronic goods in exchange for new. Some of these websites even offer facilities to recycle your old computer and pay you for it. If it is very old and out of date then they may not pay you but still will go ahead and recycle it for you.
  
• If you are considering giving your old computer for charity, then cross check with their policies regarding recycling old computers. Some charity houses will not follow green methods and will not recycle or reuse computers as they should. So even it is for a good cause, it can cause more harm than good for the environment.

These are some useful tips that you should follow when you are considering recycling your computer. Some small measures that we take today can help save the environment and make it cleaner and greener for our future generations.

In today’s time computers have become a necessity and have made its way in every household. This leads to a lot of technology waste getting disposed every year, around the world. Computers and its various parts contain a lot of toxic chemicals such as lead oxide, mercury, zinc, nickel and cadmium that can be harmful for both human beings and wildlife. Therefore it is import to dispose computers in the right manner in order to reduce the negative impact it has on the environment. Most of the parts in a computer can be recycled and reused. Recycling computers and its parts can help the environment by reducing the dump in landfills, creating less toxic chemical emissions and saving energy in manufacturing computers.

Here is a list of computer parts that can be recycled:

• Monitor - Monitors are made up of glass and glass is recyclable and therefore if your computer’s monitor is broken or needs replacement, consider recycling it. Many computer recycling companies accept glass monitors for recycling.


• Keyboards and Plastic cases - Some of the parts in a computer are made up of plastic and plastic can be recycled. There are many computer recycling companies that recycle plastic parts especially if they are easy to dismantle from other parts. Some of the plastic parts that can be readily recycled are the keyboards and plastic cases. In some cases, if they are in good condition can be refurbished and reused.


• CD Rom Drive - CD Rom Drives can be reused if they are in good condition. It can be reused in other computers.


• Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) - CRTs should be handled with care and should be disposed correctly in order to prevent any environmental hazards. This part especially contains toxic elements such as lead and cadmium. The cadmium is located in the screen and the rear tube glass contains the lead. Incorrect disposal of CRTs can lead to harmful hazards and therefore it should be recycled by proper recycling centers.


• Power Cords - The power cords contain copper wires and this can be easily recycled as it melts quickly at a very low temperature.


• Printer Cartridges - Instead of throwing out empty cartridges you can get them refilled. In this way, you can save the environment by preventing it from getting dumped in the landfills and you can save money as well.


• Batteries - Computer batteries should be disposed and recycled very carefully and correctly because it has highly toxic substances such as lead. Recycling lead correctly can reduce the negative environmental impact.


• Circuit Board - circuit board of a computer consists of harmful toxic metals such as lead, mercury and other substances. These metals are generally removed and recycled for manufacturing other products. Recycling metals from the circuit board helps in preventing damage to the environment that could have caused by seeping into the groundwater from the landfills. Therefore, disposing circuit boards and recycling them properly is very crucial to prevent any kind of environmental hazards.

In today’s times, everyone needs to use computers at some point of time and therefore a lot of energy can get wasted if not used correctly or if green measures aren’t taken. By following certain methods and practices we can help reduce the consumption of energy while using computers. Reducing energy consumption will have a direct impact on the overall power bills. Here are some ways that one can follow to save energy while using computers.

When not in use, turn off the computer

For some odd reason, many people have this habit of leaving their computer switched on all the time. There isn’t any particular reason to do this, but yet they leave it on for prolonged periods. However,  by doing so, you are not only wasting energy but you are making your computer more vulnerable to power fluctuations or lightning strikes which are both harmful for your computer and can damage your computer. In order, to save energy and to keep your computer safe, switch off your computer whenever you are not using it.

Use a Power Strip to plug in computer devices

A power strip is a simple plug-in device that looks like an extension cord that has a panel with a number of outlets and switches. It is better to plug in all your computer device’s cords into this power strip, so that when you turn it off, everything plugged into it automatically gets shut down. Plug in all of your computer equipments into the power strip, including your computer, monitor, printer, and any other external accessories. Whenever you’re not using the computer, all you have to do is turn off the switch on the power strip or bar. Often people think by putting their computer on standby mode, they are saving energy, but alas computers on standby mode continue to draw electricity. By turning all devices off at the power strip, you can be sure that they are completely off. Some power strips come with built-in surge protectors that can help protect your computer from power surges and lightning strikes.

Buy Energy Efficient Computer Devices

If you are purchasing a new computer then make sure you purchase one that has energy star rating. Energy star rated computers are energy efficient and use very little electricity. These computers pass through several tests before being labeled as energy efficient. Also choose the appropriate kind of monitor because larger the monitor, the more energy is consumed. Flat screen monitors are better than the traditional displays as they consume less energy. Also, when buying a computer, take into consideration the “embodied energy”. Embodied energy, is the amount of energy that was used while manufacturing the computer in the first place.

These are some measure that you can follow to reduce your impact on the environment while using a computer. These tips will help you save energy while using a computer. Small steps that we take can help us save a great deal of energy. By saving energy you not only help the environment but you are kind on your wallet and will cut down on your power bills.

Computers are a part and parcel or our day-today lives. But the use of computers in the wrong way can have a negative impact on the environment. Therefore it is important that we imbibe green methods and choices while buying and using computers. There are several ways to reduce the amount of energy that your computer consumes while using it and by supporting more environmentally friendly disposal and manufacturing practices, you can save a lot of energy. Here is a list of things that you can keep in mind while purchasing computers and while using them in order to save energy.

• Choose Laptops over Desktops - If you are planning to buy a computer and are concerned about saving energy then choosing a laptop over a desktop computer will be the best choice. Even if you choose an external monitor and keyboard, the laptop consumes lesser energy than a desktop. Nowadays there are a lot of mini laptops available as well; these kinds of laptops consume very little energy.


• Check your computer’s power management settings - Save energy by checking your power management settings. Set it to a mode that will save energy automatically by turning it off or putting it to sleep whenever you are not using it. In this way the life of your monitor is also extended. Also consider reducing the sleep and display blanking timeouts, there is no need to set it to 15 - 30 minutes. Setting screen savers does not save energy. In fact, in some scenarios they consume even more energy; therefore it is better to disable it.


• Buy EPEAT computers - When buying a new computer check for the EPEAT logo. EPEAT is the best way to know about the greenest computers available. It rates computers and monitors on over 50 plus criteria such as manufacturing, use and disposal. One the basis of the rating, computers are assigned either a bronze, gold or silver status. If you already have a computer, then consider replacing it with an EPEAT computer.


• Unplug your computer when not in use - Whenever you aren’t using the computer, unplug it as this will help save energy. Often, when unused electronic equipments are plugged in, it draws significant amounts of energy, even when they aren’t being used. It is better to install a power strip and attach all computer devices such as monitor, CPU, printer etc. to this. In this way, when you switch the power strip off, the power is cut out from all the devices.


• Reuse and Recycle - When you want to dispose an old computer, consider recycling it instead of throwing it into the trash. Nowadays there are many organizations that accept old computers for recycling. Some shops hold exchange programs - give away the old computer for a new one.

These are some tips that will help you reduce your computer’s impact on the environment. Nowadays Green computers and practices are the need of the day. So we must all take steps to ensure a greener and safe environment and that includes following green measures while buying or using a computer.

Computers enabled the speeding up of scientific and technological achievement in last few decades. Major changes raised in our natural environment because of technological development, social changes and the enormous production and utilization of computing apparatus. The duration of a computer-its manufacture, use and disposal makes it strongly tied to the environment. Its production includes trace metals and other substances that cause health hazards in the handling toxics in fabrication and end-of-life procedures.

Computer use can escort environmental benefits with the study composite environmental systems, greater ecological education or curbing paper use from offices. Then at the end of a constructive lifetime, computers build disposal challenges posed by perilous materials present and difficulties in recycling. There are several environmental issues related to computer that are discussed in the following account.

Recycling Computer for Environmental Issues

Maximum environmental concerns with computers are with the monitor, specially its cathode ray tube (CRT). On an average every color monitor contains, four to five pounds of lead which is considered dangerous waste when disposed of. Computers also include other hazardous materials like mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is shown to cause iron-poor blood, liver disease, high blood pressure and nerve and brain damage in animals.

Effects of Computers on Environment

Increased Paper Use-Computers have augmented paper use. When a hard disk crashes and a virus or two occur, majority of people reasonably suspect electronic storage methods. Therefore, it is always safe to make a hard copy. The effortlessness of printing continually persuades us to put out a flamboyant and vibrant letter or handout or memo or report or flyer. We obviously know that if we ever cease to think about it, that nine tenths of what all we print will never be studied. But to notice all those neatly-formatted sheets sequentially emerging from the printer, gives us a feeling of productivity.

Negative Processes while Using Computer- Sitting at a computer is not environmentally gentle. As during our sitting hours in front of a computer, our lives are being uphold by many of environmentally negative processes. These destructive processes include the heating, the air-conditioning, the disposal systems that takes away our wastes, the power for the electronics and lights and the like.

Excessive Energy Consumption-The companies that are into manufacturing computers need great quantity of energy. This energy is now adding to several environmental concerns.

Computers influence environment in more ways than mentioned, wise consumption is thus necessary.

We have to pay price for each and every thing. So, in case of computers, we can’t be exempted. People who use computers for longer duration are more prone to health problems like headaches, backaches and weakening of eye sight. Still, it is not that late, we must move in the directions to use computers wisely. It can’t be denied that computers have simplified our lives. Whatever is there on the face of the earth is now like an open book for us. But we should use it judiciously, so that we can avail computers and lessen the harmful environmental issues related to computer.