Mechanical Enlightenment’s Top Green Tips

April 21, 2016

April 22, 2016 marks the 46th Earth Day, a celebration of our planet and a reminder to stop and think about how our actions affect the environment and what we can do to secure it for our future. You’re probably familiar with things you can do to help such as recycling and planting trees, and we wanted to share some lesser-known \”acts of green\” that you can take part in.\n

E-WASTE RECYCLING

Perhaps you already recycle at home, things like paper and plastic, but according to the Earth Day Network the United States alone produces 50 million tons of electronic waste every year. Recycling e-waste responsibly will significantly reduce the amount of toxins that leach into our soil, water and air resulting in a cleaner, safer planet for everyone. Many office supply and computer stores offer programs to take your old or broken electronics to recycle them for you. Also watch out for community events and collection bins to safely deposit your unused electronics for recycling rather than throwing them away to end up in a land fill. Take a pledge to recycle your e-waste responsibly. 

TRACK YOUR ONLINE ENERGY USE

You might not give it much thought, but the time you spend working on and browsing the internet takes an environmental toll. Find out how how much online energy you use by installing the Earth Mode plug-in on Chrome. Your carbon footprint will be calculated and trees will be planted to offset it!