Just because a product claims to be “green” doesn’t mean it will always deliver on that promise, and actually checking up on it can be difficult. So it’s reassuring to know that regulatory bodies do keep an eye on this stuff. Right now, the ACCC is taking green energy supplier Global Green Plan back to court for failing to actually deliver on its promise of selling environmentally-friendly power plans.
Dear Lifehacker, I’m a student using a MacBook Pro for uni on which I’ve got Mac OS X & Windows 7 dual booted. I’m constantly switching between the two depending on what I need to do (though Windows is my preferred OS). Recently I’ve noticed that the battery lasts longer on the OS X side than it does on the Windows 7 side, even when only browsing the internet. Why is this? Does this mean that OS X is more energy efficient (& hence environmentally friendly) than Windows?
newVideoPlayer( {"type":"video","player":"http://www.youtube.com/v/h1b_wGt9Z7Q&hl=en&fs=1&hd=1","customParams":[] ,"width":500,"height":306.25,"ratio":0.615,"flashData":"","embedName":null,"objectId":null,"noEmbed":false,"source":"youtube","wrap":true,"agegate":false} ); If you’ve built your fair share of PCs over the years, you probably have quite a few old fans lying around. Here’s how to quickly give them a purpose by turning them into small wind generators.
Windows only: Like Caffeine for the Mac, tiny Windows app Insomnia will keep your computer awake for those long-running jobs that need its full attention.
If your printer is connected to a power strip, turning off the power strip can actually cause a greater power usage in the long run, plus a waste of ink.
If Linux is your primary on-the-go computer OS, you’ll find that it’s really versatile in handling power consumption — if you know how to get around its settings. A poster at the Productive Geek forums shows us some power-saving setups.
If you find that the sun is wreaking havoc on the inside of your home (or that you’re just getting too much glare on the TV), consider adding some insulation film to your windows.
