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computer tips Going Green

Save energy

Cut out driving as much as possible: how?

  • Use web based services, telephone, and mail instead of driving.
  • Combine your stops along a single route.
  • Use Public Transit where available.
  • Car Pool
  • Walk
  • Ride Bike
  • Live closer to where you work, or Work closer to where you live
  • Kids walk, bike, or take bus to school.

If you do use your car:

  • Keep up with regular maintenance
  • Stay Below 60 Mph
  • Keep it clean, to keep weight down
  • Use windows down going less than 45 Mph when it’s hot. Air conditioning when going more than 45 Mph.

In your Home:

  • Unplug chargers when not in use.  Chargers such as phone, tablet, even some laptop chargers can take more energy just being plugged in than the  device itself.  Also Unplug printers if not in use for a long period. Make sure there aren’t orphan cables that go to nothing.
  • Use washer and dryers during cooler times when possible and cook during cooler times when possible. Using a microwave during warmer times may also save energy.
  • LED lighting (including on monitors, tvs, regular fixtures, refrigerators) can keep your place cooler.
  • Use of blinds, or curtains, in warm weather.
  • Use energy saving (power) settings on your computer (in control panel in Windows, and system preferences on Macintosh)
  • Drink tap water (I use a filter pitcher)

Home & Office

  • Use less paper, do less printing
  • Recycle – Recycled materials take less energy than raw materials.
  • Allowing a casual dress code, so workers can dress appropriately for the weather.

 
 
 
More in my e-book Datacommuting available on iBooks, Amazon (Kindle) and Nook

Categories
Going Green

What is paper good for these days?

  1. Bathroom tissue
  2. Recycled materials such as insulation, and ceiling tiles
  3. If it helps you to remember, write on scrap paper
  4. Cleaning materials (when used sparingly) – I use reusable cloths, and eraser sponges(for what I can’t get out with reusable cloths) too. I go through about 1 roll of paper towels a year. I also sometimes use antistatic wipes. update:  I no longer use the eraser sponges since I don’t have that huge a mess to clean up.  I only use a few rolls of paper towels a year, but I’ve been counting and it is more than one. I also use a  mop with a reusable cloth mop head that can be washed in clothes  washing machine.

In addition to saving paper by not printing and asking places not to send me junk mail, I also look at the packaging I use.

  • I buy bag cereal to reduce paperboard.
  • I use Presto Popper so I use popcorn not the microwavable bags ( it does use a small piece of reusable paper, so it reduces paper not paperless).
  • I wash my dishes instead of buying and throwing away paper or plastic ones.
  • I use dryer balls instead of fabric softener or dryer sheets.

And to save plastic I use reusable bags, every time (too many people just buy them and forget to use them). To save on garbage bags, I use bread bags, produce bags, cereal bags (with a tie), and shopping bags(if somehow I got one anyway). To reduce carbon emissions and foreign oil, I use my bicycle, as well as many online services, and public transit.

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beware of scams computer learning computer tips Going Green

Online Banking

I use online banking frequently. Not just to check how much money is in the bank. But also to make sure that my transactions went through properly and to make sure there are no unexpected transactions.
I also use it to get my statement online instead of on paper. I download the statement onto my computer and keep it in Neat Digital filing system. Also my credit union lets my have free online bill pay by using online banking instead getting statements in the mail. The online bill pay saves me on stamps and checks and can make sure my bills get paid on time.
I also download transactions to use with my bookkeeping (Quickbooks).
About those unexpected transactions – I recommend be very cautious about giving away credit/debit card numbers or bank over the phone. If you do make sure you initiated the call and not someone who called you. Also when using online, make sure it is a company you trust and over a secure connection.

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computer tips Going Green

Printing to save money?

Is it worth printing things out to save money? like coupons? online postage? printed forms instead paying online fees?
Sometimes.  If you have the printer anyway, with ink already and plenty of paper already.
But if your going to buy more ink or paper or even a printer or computer to do this- it makes no sense as no dollars and cents.
Another thing is if you print a form instead and mail it instead of submitting online to avoid a fee, you may end up waiting longer for processing. You also of course have to consider the cost of the stamp and envelope, and the check.
I recommend if you can get by without a printer, to do that. Printers break down easily. Ink jets, ink is expensive. Laser Printers are expensive and take a lot of room and electricity.
With store coupons at Superone foods I now use their super coupon code, so I don’t have to clip out or print store coupons.

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computer learning computer tips tech culture

"Hackers"

I was asked

It isn’t just hackers that cause computer problems?

No. many problems are caused by users themselves. Many because of users lack of knowledge – or in some cases problems with there senses. sometimes problems also happen to be glitches or bugs in software.
People will blame the last person fixing their computer or friend for problems that they actually caused themselves.
Many times people download too many programs on their computer that makes it slow, or sometimes download programs that do jeopardize the security on their computer.  Also when typing passwords, people might not remember them, or mistype them and get locked out for their accounts own good.
Of course physical problems like battery issues on portables, hard drives on notebooks, or dust in desktop computers can also mess things up.
And of course you need to make sure that you don’t let other people use your computer unless you trust them well.
Another thing we have to think of is: what is a hacker?
A hacker on a technical definition simply means a programmer and does not necessarily doing illegal or unethical activities.  I have also seen it mean someone that is just exploring. The main stream media (even sometimes society) uses the term hacker broadly and usually in a negative way.
A cracker on the other hand tries to get into places that they should not.
There really are people that take advantage of others  on computers, and over the Internet. However, we need to make sure we really know how to use our computers before we blame others.
 

Categories
computer tips downloads

Recommended Downloads 1

I recommend whatever your web browser choice may be, that you use the latest stable browser of your choice, so you stay up to date with security updates.
Personally I like Firefox the most.
http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
With internet explorer you can download the latest from Microsoft (Windows) Update. Microsoft ties their Windows operating system to the browser, so sometimes you need the latest Operating System (OS) for the latest browser with them. post update: Edge browser is also available for Windows 10.
http://update.microsoft.com
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/download-ie
Apple has Safari, which is the default browser for Macintosh OS X, and iOS. It is also available for Windows. It can update with Apple software update or Mac App Store. Sometimes people accidentally install it with iTunes on their windows computer.
http://www.apple.com/safari/
http://support.apple.com/downloads/#internet
Chrome is Google’s Web Browser (also the name of their netbook operating System)
https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/
Opera. – I a version of this when I had an older model android phone- since it loaded pages faster.
http://www.opera.com/
Why do people choose different browsers? speed of loading, security, ability to share bookmarks (IE calls them favorites) and save passwords among devices, the browser that works best with the pages people use, or use the browser that their device or OS can handle.
Some more downloads:
Get your media electronically – save all that plastic and driving to the stores.
Itunes – the biggest media online, not just a store but also a media player/device sync as well.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/
From Amazon http://www.amazon.com

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video

out gma window

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computer tips Going Green tech culture

Coffee and computers

Coffee and computers are shown together a lot.DSC02877.JPG - Version 2

  • Coffee shops offer Internet access.
  • even programming languages named after coffees (Java and JavaScript )

However, the truth is computer hardware hates coffee. One spill can be the last for your notebook or tablet.
And it is a bad habit for the environment too, even if you reuse a germ filled cup.
Of course it is a good idea, to keep any drink or food (or young kids or pets) away from your computer.

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Going Green tech culture

My personal reasons to be paperless

I’m not completely paperless but I’m working at it. Here are some my personal reasons for being paperless:

Paper Mess before photo 2009

  1. I have been using paper myself too much for too long, mainly with school.  I needed to learn to conserve paper so I don’t cause problems.
  2. I kept too much of the paper I received.  I was being a hoarder with papers I either received or printed or written on myself.  I would keep papers from school many years after graduating. keep receipts from the day before up to 10 years old. To keep the important information I realized that I needed a scanning system for that and bought the NeatReceipts portable scanner that came with NeatWorks for my Macintosh computer.
  3. I don’t have enough room at my apartment or office for keeping papers. I pay very low rent, partly because I had a small office and have small apartment.
  4. I have trouble reading papers and books because I sometimes have had trouble bending my neck and my eyes have got worse. So it is easier for me to read on a computer screen, and when it is a long article I sometimes have the computer read it with text to speech. Also, it is easier for me to read street signs and look at artwork on a wall.
  5. Doesn’t happen too often but every once in a while I have got paper cuts. I also hurt myself once with a paper cutter that I immediatly got rid of after it happened.
  6. It is too expensive if I’m not conserving paper.  I even quit all print (on paper) advertising. For me, Not only did print advertising not pay for itself, it brought too many telephone solicitations.

So I may have a few more personal reasons than others to attempt to be paperless. Or at least to conserve as much paper as possible. I still keep bath tissue handy.
2015 Update: temporarily going without an office.  Update on Neat scanner

Categories
computer learning computer tips tech culture

Biggest problems with computers

1. Some people think Computer Technicians are just for problems
sorry they are not (; but let’s get to the actual list of problems I see with computers.
1. Software Problems – including malware, bloatware, not knowing how to use software, making sure data is backed up.
2. Dirty Computers – even if you have a clean house or office – is your computer clean? I am not talking about software here. Many computers are physically dirty and that is the number one reason for hardware problems that I have seen. this is the number one reason power supplies, and system boards I’ve seen fail. It is also one of the main reasons hard drives and optical drives fail.
The fallowing are not necessarily in exact order but the order I see.
3. Problems that need to be solved with the Internet Service Provider.. but the customers do not want to deal with them themselves
4. Notebook problems although they are portable, they still have a lot of delicate parts:
including the Power Supply connection, hard drive, keyboard, then screen – pretty much in that order.
5. Problems from moving a desktop computer such as memory issues, and hard drive issues.
6. removable Laptop batteries
7. cmos battery
8. Modem / surge protector wrecked by power surges through telephone line – not as common anymore since widespread fiber optic use.
9. manufacturer reasons- I put this last, however many of the problems above could have been avoided by a better manufacturing / design process.
2015 update: flash storage such as Solid State Drives can dramatically improve performance opposed to keeping spinning hard disc drives.

Content ©1999 - Nathan Steffenson, Nate's Computer Services - All rights reserved. - Be Green! save money and energy. Please do not print this web page.