Greener Choices for Electronics

We live in a very tech-centric society, and our daily activities inevitably leave behind a carbon footprint.

Luckily, more and more companies are offering us ways to save energy, reduce waste and generally be more eco-friendly when it comes to the gadgets and electronics we use.

Here are just a few companies making strides in the world of green tech.

Fuji EnviroMAX

When it comes to making eco-friendly choices, it can be easy to overlook the little things, like batteries. Yet, making the switch to a more environmentally respectful product like Fuji EnviroMAX batteries can make a difference.

These batteries perform well while remaining "land-fill safe," meaning they're free of mercury, cadmium and PVC. They're labeled with PET plastic and packaged with recycled paper.

Most of the resources used to manufacture Fuji EnviroMAX are reused and recycled, as well. The Super Alkaline batteries are available in AA, AAA, C and D.

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Brother PC-210PRW

Thanks to the economy and a desire to make more eco-friendly clothing choices, many more people are opting to alter their clothing at home, saving money and reducing waste.

Brother's 'Project Runway' Limited Edition sewing machines, such as the PC-210PRW, are perfect for both beginner and experienced seamstresses.

The computerized sewing machine is easy to use and has a total of 50 computerized stitches, as well as a LED screen, a Quick-Set™ Bobbin, an advanced needle threading system and automatic reverse/reinforcement stitch and needle stop position control.

Instead of letting clothes go to waste simply because they don't fit perfectly, you can use a Brother sewing machine to reclaim, repurpose and reuse. Not to mention, if you're an avid crafter, quilter or just enjoy making your own clothes from scratch, the PC-210PRW is a great mid-range machine.

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Repurpose Jeans Into a Purse

Don't throw old jeans out - repurpose them into a fun and functional purse.

Take a pocket and embroider, embellish, add cording and beading. Add sparkle to your pocket by using Brother metallic thread, and use your imagination to add your personal flare!

Materials and Supplies ~

• Brother Sewing/Embroidery Machine
• Brother Embroidery Pop Mix Card #SA366 Design #8
• Brother Aqua-Melt Adhesive Backed Stabilizer SA5906
• Brother Embroidery Thread
• Brother Pearl and Sequin Foot SA150
• Brother Metal Open Toe Foot SA186
• Pocket from discarded jeans
• Drapery trims - 47" of 1/2" braid for shoulder strap / 20" of 1/4" braid w/lip for trim around edge of pocket
• Optional beading trim

Instructions ~

1. Cut pocket from jeans leaving about 1" border around pocket sides. Leave as much as possible above pocket opening for top hem.

2. Gently remove pocket from the pants material and set backing material aside.

3. Open Embroidery Edit.

4. Place the embroidery card SA366 in the machine. Select Design #8, press SET and EDIT END.

5. Hoop the water soluble stabilizer, expose sticky surface and center the pocket in the hoop.

6. Stitch the butterfly design.

7. Remove the pocket from the hoop and remove excess stabilizer.

8. Using the Pearl and Sequin foot, stitch the 1/4" cording (with lip) around the outer edge of the pocket.

9. Add bead trim if desired at this time.

10. Turn the top hem down on the inside of the pocket and stitch down.

11. Replace the pocket back on the jean material and stitch down following the original stitch line using the Open Toe Foot.

12. Trim backing close to the cording.

13. Attach the 1/2" drapery cording.

Courtesy of Brother Education Department

grenk

Even if you only print a little bit at work or at home, your ink and toner cartridges have a fairly significant carbon footprint. Enter grenk, an eco-friendly company that remanufactures cartridges to conserve natural resources and control waste from manufacturing processes.

grenk's package design and manufacturing standards were developed by InkCycle, and grenk uses a self-regulation process for remanufacturing and distributing ink and toner cartridges.

Some of their efforts include: a commitment to maximize the reuse of materials from an ink or toner cartridge to minimize landfill waste and reduce end-waste cycles; environmentally friendly package design that uses the highest available content of recycled material with certified chain-of-custody (such as oxygen-degradable film, air pillows and shredded test sheets from the plant to help cushion the delicate cartridge).

Make sure you tell your office manager about grenk!

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Sharp AQUOS LED LCD

Ever wondered how much energy your TV is zapping? The new AQUOS LED LCD televisions from Sharp are Energy Star® Version 4.0 compliant and are up to 65% more energy efficient than current LCD models.

They also eliminate the use of mercury, one of the last remaining hazardous substances in Sharp TVs.

The AQUOS' Power Control setting can also help decrease power consumption and increase the backlight lifespan.

In addition to being more energy efficient, the newest AQUOS TVs enable more than one trillion colors, are about 1.6" thin and deliver streaming video through Netflix®. Visit Sharp's site for more technical specifications on each AQUOS model.

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Smart Strip

Even when they're not in use, most of your electronics are still using energy. Often called "vampire electronics," these peripheral devices in your home or office can suck power without you even realizing it.

The Smart Strip Power Saving Surge Protector from CableOrganizer.com helps stop this energy waste; it can detect when a device that is plugged in is turned off and then automatically cuts power to said device.

The Smart Strip comes in two sizes - one with 7 outlets and one with 10 outlets. Both sizes offer surge protection (or you can opt for additional fax/modem/phone protection) and can save an average of 260 watts of energy per hour.