According to a survey conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation, nearly 76 percent of American adults own a computer. What, then, is the environmentally conscious American to do with the knowledge that the average 240 computer (with a 17-inch CRT) uses 179 kilowatt hours per month and costs about $236 a year – almost as much as running a refrigerator for the same amount of time! * Can techies provide us with a viable, eco-friendly alternative to power-hungry computers?
Environmentally Friendly Computers Hit the Market
A British computer manufacturer, Aleutia, has risen to the challenge of creating a high tech, low-powered computer: the E2 Mini Computer. Coined a “sustainable computer” by its designers, the E2’s minute size (4.5” x 4.5”) requires few materials to manufacture and uses just 8 Watts to run.
Benefits of the E2 Computer
If you decide to take a bite out of the energy crisis by purchasing this palm-sized green gadget, you can enjoy the device’s many benefits:
· The computer’s ability to run Firefox® 3, OpenOffice.org, Skype™, and connectivity with printers, webcams, iPod® devices, and other add-ons make it a shoe-in for the environmentally conscious tech gadget junkie.
· Originally designed to be solar powered, the E2 addresses other power-related problems of traditional computers as well; it does not use watt-hoarding hard drives or CD or DVD drives.
· While E2’s access to Google Earth, YouTube, and BBC’s iPlayer® are either choppy or entirely unavailable, the computer’s 1GB RAM provides users adequate storage for most day-to-day computer functions.
· The E2 can fit in your palm, pocket, or Christmas stocking – the perfect gift idea for your computer savvy loved ones (or yourself). Users can also access the Internet and their personal computer files on the go, making the E2 the perfect commuter tool.
· With all that conserved energy and expense, you can treat yourself to a night on the town, a special eco-tour, or a number of other environmentally friendly gifts!
With the Aleutia E2 computer, you don’t have to unplug your fridge, cancel your electricity service, or live by candlelight. Investing in this low energy computer may be the solution to your energy consumption dilemma, your gift-giving conundrum, and your desire to work on the go. Maybe you should be a pioneer and take the plunge....
*Figures found at michaelbluejay.com, a website referred to by Newsweek online. |