Tech Brand Talk

[#1]

It’s closing in on February, so hopefully those new electronic gizmos all have the plastic removed from their displays and are front and centre in your life. Now you can turn your attention to what to do with the old ones.

Each year, as people plug in a new game console, TV or possibly a new stereo, the old units are moved off to another room to serve as a secondary unit.  And with that, the more energy efficient unit often becomes additional electrical load.

Do you need that backup TV?

More often then not, the old TV makes a move to the bedroom or a basement room.  On the surface this seems like no big deal, but it can actually negate a lot of the energy savings the new TV brings. 

A basement TV may now be used by kids no longer needing to “tough it out” with their parents’ choice of programming. Or it could be used by a spouse,  tired and in bed, half watching TV.

Consider giving your old TV to someone who is up to replacing an even older TV, or perhaps even replace one of your own. Recycle the older one, particularly if it’s a CRT that no one wants. 

This ensures that the most energy efficient TVs, and the ones likely to have the best features, are what remain in use.

Game consoles everywhere!

I’m not a big gamer - just one console in my house, and it’s the lowest power user, the Wii – but I have friends who feel the need to have all of them plugged in, ready to go. 

Given how much power game consoles use in off and standby modes, this isn’t the most efficient way to store classic technology for periodic enjoyment.

To address this, I’d suggest putting two power bars in place - one for consoles that get used often, and another for those classic modules you rarely use. 

This way, your newer consoles which update over the Internet will come on while you play other new consoles. They’ll still get “power-barred” off when you’re done, and the seldom-used classic units will exist in a state of no power draw, most of the time.

New laptop, netbook or tablet?

Computers are moving in the direction of cellphones these days, with many consumers getting a new one every two or three years. The result? A house full of computers.

Why not adopt the same strategy as with the TV: the computer you’ve just replaced can replace the oldest one you own, and that really old computer can get recycled.  

And if you can’t bring yourself to recycle it, list it for donation on the BC Electronics Material Exchange or consider options such as World Computer Exchange, which donates computers to kids in more than 70 countries around the world.

When recycling or donating, make sure you take the time to find out how to erase all your personal data from the computer before you let it leave your hands.  If you need help with this, see ehow.com’s information on cleaning your hard drive, or contact your local computer retailer for guidance.

Recycle it. Don’t trash it

As we become more technology integrated, we will have more and more electronics that have moved past their useable lifetime.  Always remember to take these units to the local recycling depot (Return-It or Recycle BC) because all electronics contain chemicals that we certainly don’t want in the landfill and, potentially,  in our water systems. 

Take the time to drag those old cellphones, cordless phones, DVD players, and anything else you have to the recycling depot.  See Return-It’s listing of acceptable products.

Go to bchydro.com for Power Smart conservation tips  and energy saving rebates or join us on Facebook or Twitter.

NOTE: Do not include any personal information (name, email address, phone number, etc) in any comments in response to this article. It is up to you to determine the suitability for your purposes of any information provided in this article, and you bare all risks of using or relying on this information.