Green gadgets for a New World

A lot of gadgets are very cute and smart, but still very a few of them are really useful. However, if you can not do something without a special device then it is better to get a 'green' one. Green gadgets are the ones which are able to save energy, water, raw material; they contain no hazardous materials and can be recycled - in couple of words, those which make living safer.

Green gadgets can be purchased as any other devices. There are several websites or mail-order catalogs providing a wide range of green products.

Battle for a better world

Greenpeace has been putting pressure on some of the biggest companies such as Apple and Motorola to adjust their production policy to environmental requirements. Apple has recently launched its program on creation of a PVC-free, recycled, recyclable 'green iPod'.

The recycling policies are quite hard to keep pace with, so most of the companies or users are donating their gadgets to charity missions.

There are organizations like Freecycle which maintain an on-line service of free collection of products to be recycled. It is enough to simply list the objects you want to give away and you'll be contacted for collecting it.

Several laws and recent legislative dispositions require gadget makers to take back products at the end of their life.

Daring ideas

Most of Nokia cell phones flash an on-screen reminder to unplug them when they're fully charged. This aims energy saving. Green Mobile works on releasing a 'sunflower phone'. Once the cell phone is out of usage, it can be cast in the garden and later it will come back as a sunflower, thanks to the seeds inserted into its case.

A particularly effective idea is to use solar power to charge up batteries and mobile phones. A series of products incorporates photovoltaic cells to collect solar power (can charge NiCad batteries) and run from it. One of the biggest companies to exploit sun's energy and work out solar charges is the Center for Alternative Technology (CAT).

One of the most daring idea is to power devices like digital clock and calendar using the chemical energy potential of fruit and vegetables. The idea is to make a normally functioning clock. The only difference from an ordinary clock is that the user will have to add the fruit to start it up!

Some think that it is not quite necessary to recycle gadgets. They say, it is better to make special recycling containers (carrier bags, boxes or bins). Still, it will take a great deal of space. So, a greater idea is to use 'crushers', such as can crasher. It can compress aluminum cans to save up to 80% space.

If you are concerned about the world you are living in and you still want to use gadgets you are accustomed to, then think of buying products made from recycled materials. This actually encourages the recycling industry and offers a wider range of safer products.