thinkB4Ushop

• Check the Energy Star Ratings: The Energy Star program, run by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), evaluates a wide range of consumer products for their energy efficiency, awarding the Energy Star label to those that top the list.Laptops that qualify for Energy Star 5.0.approval can be in one of three categories, depending on the computational power of the laptop. The categories are based on the average number of kilowatt hours (kWh) a computer consumes over a typical year of use. kWh is the number of watts of electricity that an electronic device uses in an hour. A 50-watt laptop, for instance, used for an hour, has consumed .05 kWh. Category C, designed for those powerful laptops with two or more cores per processor, designates laptops that use computers use 88.5 to 543 kWh over a year. Category B laptops, those with a separate graphics processors for rendering displays, consume 53 kWh to 41 kWh; and Category A is for all other laptops that use 40 kWh or less.
• Check the recyclability of the laptop: Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) is a way to gauge how environmentally friendly electronic components are, in terms of materials they are built from and the manufacturer’s recycling plans.EPEAT requires that computer manufacturers meet 23 mandatory conditions, such as providing a statement of how much recycled material was used in the product and providing an additional optional three-year warranty to keep the laptop in use longer. EPEAT also has 28 additional criteria, such as requiring the laptop be built from at least 90 percent recyclable materials and that that laptop use batteries that are entirely free of lead, cadmium and mercury. Bronze status is awarded to products that meet all mandatory requirements, silver status goes to products that meet the mandatory requirements, plus 14 of the optional criteria, and gold rated means the machine meets all mandatory requirements and at least 21 optional criteria.

• Evaluate your needs: What you plan to use your computer for will help you purchase the most efficient one for your needs. If you plan on using the device mostly for simple tasks such as checking e-mail, surfing the Web, or watching a DVD, then take a look at netbooks, or tablet computers, which not only cost less, but have processors that sip less energy. Using a tablet could also help you consolidate, eliminating the need for a separate e-reader. The above tasks don’t require a lot of computational muscle, so a lower-power processor would run them without problem. If you use resource-intensive applications, such as photo editing software, then a laptop with a dual-core processor would be more appropriate. And if you plan to use the unit in extreme environments such as use in moving vehicles or outdoors in damp climates or extreme temperatures, then paying for a rugged model may be the greenest choice because they’ll last longer.
• Look for low-power components: The computer industry is starting to learn that in order to make more power-efficient computers, they need to be made with more power-efficient components. Solid-state drives, although more expensive, consume less power than standard hard-drives (and are a lot more rugged and can be faster as well). Also, look for computers with the new generation of low-power chips. Chips consume up to half of all the power a CPU draws. Intel has released a line of low-power chips, code-named Atom, that consume less power and provide nearly the same performance, as has Via, with its Nano line of processors that are used in numerous netbooks. Look for the names of these processors in the specification sheets.

Source: Green Guide by National Geographic

What is the main driver if unsustainable consumption? Why in the last decade it became such a big problem?

The answer is: Population growth and economic development

Yes , population growth and economic development are driving consumption around the world and will continue to do so as billions of consumers – especially in China, India and other emerging economies – add to the demand for goods and services. The market pressure created by competitive spending and conspicuous consumption turn the affluence of some into the exclusion of many.

There will be an estimated 9 billion people in 2050.

World population is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050, driven largely by growth in developing countries and countries with lower per-capita incomes. Recent studies
show that we are already exceeding the Earth’s ability to support our lifestyles, and have been doing so for approximately twenty years.

World GDP is projected to grow by 325% between 2007 and 2050.

On average, around 60% of gross domestic product (GDP) is accounted for by consumer spending on goods and services.

World GDP is projected to grow by 325% between 2007 and 2050 as strong GDP growth is forecast to be accompanied by population growth. The already populous nations of China and India are likely to be among the fastest growing – China’s GDP is set to overtake that of the US by 2025; India’s GDP is expected to rival that of Japan at around the same time, and come close to that of the US by 2050. By 2050, the GDPs of Mexico, Brazil, Russia and Indonesia are all projected to have outgrown that of the UK (currently the world’s 6th largest economy). Most of the other emerging market economies look set to overtake the UK in GDP terms by 2050.

What will all those numbers mean for us? Well, for 20 years we are exceeding the Earth’s ability to support our lifestyles. We have to change our ways of life and become more sustainable. This is the only way we all can have a green and beatiful planet to live in.. This is a choice to make for everyone!

Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development

It becomes more and more evident that we should shop less and should be more responsible when we are shopping.
Here are 10 simple tips on how to turn your bad shopping habits into good ones. Follow them as often you can and every time you do you will make one step towards greener and happier planet. Better for environment and for your wallet!

1. Go shopping only when you need something. Go with a list of what you need and stick to it.
2. To minimize impulse buying, leave your credit card at home. If you are willing to pay cash for an item, it’s generally something that you really love or need.
3. If you see something you really want, walk away from it. Go to a different store, get a drink, or use the restroom. If you really want or need that item, it will be worth the walk back.
4. Before you buy any organizing product, ask yourself if you could just eliminate or minimize the things you were planning to organize.
5. Do not buy something just because it is on sale. Buy it because you either need it or love it.
6. Buy clothes in coordinating shades. You’ll need fewer shoes and accessories to go with your outfits if you stick to the basics. You can plan your wardrobe around two or three basic colors for each season. Not only does it make daily dressing easier, but packing for a trip is simpler because you aren’t tempted to pack things that don’t mix or match.
7. Purchase only items to replace things that are worn out.
8. Think twice about buying souvenirs. Take photographs or keep a journal instead.
9. Don’t buy something if you already have something that can do the same job.
10. Remember that the very best things in life are free. Instead of spending money on stuff you will not use or need a year from now, spend time with a friend or family member or with a good book.

Something to think about B4Ushop!!

Source: Planet Green http://planetgreen.discovery.com

(via the-bicyclette)

Lets bicycle more!

Buying a car is an exciting moment for many.. After all it is a BIG toy you are buying that gives you a lot of convenience.
What do you consider and think about before you buy a car? I imagine that before you buy a car, you ask yourself what brand to pick, which model and color..
Nowadays, being sustainable is cooler, then driving a BMW or Mercedes. Countries advanced in terms of sustainability are introducing free parking for electric cars. And that is only beginning!
When you pick a car, think green! Can you buy an electric car or a hybrid gasoline and electric one. If not, try to identify the car which consumes less fuel.

Also think what will happen to your car in 15 years, will it be possible to recycle? If it is not recyclable, think about the waste the car will create when you will not need it any more. And who knows may be by then you will have to pay environmental tax for getting rid of this huge piece of junk.
And the most important question is Do you REALLY need a car?? Think about the price of the car, parking, cleaning, maintenance, and most importantly the contamination to the environment first by the car itself and secondly by the fuel it consumes…  In addition, statistically after buying a car, people became less active. They walk less. So your health is also affected. Check out this “Hidden cost of the transportation”
 Since a car is a mean of transportation. Just out of curiosity, check if you can use another alternative - greener transport!

The story of stuff project define 10 rules to follow to lead us to sustainability. The most important rule, however, is to Buy Less.

“Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local, Buy Used, and most importantly, Buy Less. Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights. Look beyond vague claims on packages like “all natural” to find hard facts.Is it organic? Is it free of super-toxic PVC plastic? When you can, buy local products from local stores, which keeps more of our hard earned money in the community. Buying used items keeps them out of the trash and avoids the upstream waste created during extraction and production. But, buying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.”

Other nine rules are available here http://www.storyofstuff.org/anotherway.php

Today, the prices for products are the center of attention. That is why we buy and buy and buy all what we can afford, even the “stuff” that we dont really need.  Many see capitalism as a source of this obsessive consumption. 

This issue is stressed in the interesting article on “Obsession with consumption” written by Francois Tremblay. http://francoistremblay.wordpress.com/2008/12/11/the-obsession-with-consumption/

This is quoted from the article:

The ideal middle class family, of course, is heavily in debt because they “own” (i.e. the bank owns) a house with fenced yard, 2.1 kids (with the tremendous costs this implies), a dog, and two cars. But this is all right, since their over consumption fuels the economy, which according to the standard model is the ultimate goal of our every economic action. Contrarily to the concept of the working class, which defines people in their relation with the means of production, in their freedom to own their own labour, the concept of the middle class defines people in their relationship with consumer products.

So it’s a very pro-State, pro-growth kind of ideology, a very destructive concept. Because trying to attain “the American Dream” busies people so much, it’s such a glittering tower on the horizon, that it sets aside a lot of more important things in their lives. When being a “middle class family” is what every prole wants, they’re not likely to care about the freedoms they have to give up along the way. And of course all States know how powerful diversion and conceptual sleight-of-hand can be (just look at the war on terrorism for the latest version of this).

The effect of redefining class ideals as being based on consumption instead of labour rights has two main consequences. The first is that it makes success in life contingent to capitalist subordination. Your consumption fuels what everyone calls “the economy,” which is a measure of how much stuff is paid for (in short, if you are sick and have to pay for expensive medical care, you’re a good consumer: if you grow your own vegetables, you’re a bad consumer).