Gadgets and appliances have become an indispensable part of our life as they help us conveniently accomplish a variety of tasks, be it in our professional or personal lives. This convenience however comes at a cost as most of the gadgets and appliances owned are powered by electricity (or require fossil fuels) which leads to carbon dioxide emission. Carbon dioxide emission, resulting from the use of such products, is measured as carbon footprint, which in turn is one of the leading causes of global warming.

The way forward would be to reduce every person’s carbon footprint by closely monitoring gadgets that emit a high carbon footprint. Though it is nearly impossible to stop the use of gadgets, we can however, adopt eco-friendly gadgets that will take us all a step closer to environmental conservation. This World Environment Day, let’s adopt eco-friendly variants of some of the most utilized gadgets that will help us do our bit for the environment while enjoying the convenience offered by these ingeniously designed gadgets. 

1. Energy Conserving Televisions

Televisions, ubiquitously found in households, are among the appliances that utilizes the most amount of energy. Television manufacturers are going green when designing televisions so as to make them energy saving and eco-friendly. Energy Star televisions are energy efficient that help conserve 40 per cent more energy than non-energy efficient variants.

Brands like JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony and many others produce green TVs. However, the 42-inch ECO TV designed by Phillips takes eco-friendly electronics to a whole new level. Built with manual and automatic energy saving features, this TV consumes lesser power as compared to similarly sized LCD screen TVs. Users can manually dim or set the room lighting sensor to determine television brightness levels. The ‘Power Saving’ mode of the TV limits peak light output while the Standby power is drastically reduced to reduce power consumption when the television is not in full operation.

2.  Eco-Friendly Laptops

When selecting a laptop, primary focus is on the functions and specifications of a particular model. Eco-friendly features are towards the bottom end of the list, as not many manufacturers focus on these features.
ASUS offers a unique biodegradable laptop, the Bamboo U6V-B1, which features bamboo panels as the external casing. Bamboo grows easily in almost all climatic conditions without the need for special harvesting or replanting. Besides the highly environmentally friendly exterior design, this laptop houses energy efficient interior parts that follow the European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, which restricts the use of hazardous substances in electronics.

3. Mobile Phones

After TVs and laptops, mobile phones are exhaustively used. However, with the urge to upgrade cell phones, arises the problem of improper disposal leading to excess waste accumulation, which is a growing environmental concern. Improper disposal of electronics leads to release of chemicals when used in landfills, in air when incinerated, or into water sources.
In a bid to address some of these issues, Samsung has created the Galaxy Exhilarate, designed with 80 per cent recyclable phone parts. Other brands like the iPhone SE has a recyclable aluminium body, is PVC and Mercury free. Microsoft’s Lumia phone series comes in a recyclable packaging and the gadget is made of 55 per cent recycled materials, while being free of BFR, PVC/Nickle.

4.  SolarKindle Lighted Cover

A reason for bibliophiles to rejoice rather than worry about receding battery power, this wonderful gadget is equipped with a solar panel in its polyurethane body. This facilitates avid readers to easily charge the 1500 mAh reserve battery whenever exposed to a light source. It also features a built in 800 lux LED reading light for those reading on a nocturnal schedule and gives a notification when the reserve battery is getting low.

5.  Solar Battery

Solar battery or solar powered battery is not a new concept, however, it is now possible to find compact, portable variants that are large enough to recharge cell phones, iPods, e-readers or digital cameras, etc. Major e-commerce portals offer dedicated solar powered batteries for major cell phone brands like Apple, Samsung, HTC, and Nokia among others. These batteries, while being a green power alternative, are extremely handy when travelling for long hours.

With growing awareness about the disastrous effects of global warming, gadget manufacturers are constantly improving their energy saving products that are just as powerful as the more energy consuming alternatives. Therefore, gadget enthusiasts can adopt a greener lifestyle that redefines efficiency without giving up on amazing technology.

Tags : Samsung, LG, Sony, Apple, iPhone SE, Solar Chargers, HTC, eco-friendly tech, e-waste recycling, green energy