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What are Green Gadgets?
Green gadgets are electronic devices and other types of gadgets that are designed to be environmentally friendly and require little in the way of energy and resources. These types of devices will often run on renewable power like solar or wind energy, or require no electrical power at all to run properly. They may also be gadgets that use little in the way of supplies or that can be reused nearly indefinitely to create less waste and use fewer resources. While they may make small differences initially, such devices used together to replace more consumptive gadgets can make a larger difference on environmental impact.
Many green gadgets are electronic devices that run on renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind generated power. These may include outdoor devices such as lawn ornaments that can turn or spin while using solar energy or to create energy from wind. They may also be more practical devices such as solar powered outdoor thermometers, clocks, and barometers. Other types of outdoor green gadgets would include external lighting powered by solar panels, solar cookers that harness heat from the sun to cook food, and even solar powered pool heaters.
Green gadgets can also include less practical and more recreational sorts of devices that are similarly powered or have a low impact on the environment. A number of companies make toys that take advantage of clean power sources, while also fostering an interest in science in children who play with them. These can include robot kits that allow the construction of small solar powered robots or hydrogen powered toy cars that run primarily on water. Other fairly practical indoor green gadgets can be found as well, such as solar powered television remote controls, staplers that do not actually require staples, and solar powered desk fans.
Some devices that are not initially constructed or designed to be particularly non-invasive toward the ecosystem and the environment can also be used in ways that are less wasteful. Rechargeable devices can be recharged with green gadgets that convert solar power into a charge that is then transferred into the device. Standard electronic devices can also be charged with more practical chargers that still use household or office power sources, but that ensure that once a device is fully charged it no longer draws power from the socket. Most rechargeable devices will pull energy from an electrical outlet even when fully charged, and using devices to prevent that is not only more environmentally sound, but can help save money on electric bills.
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![Man mowing the grass]()
Man mowing the grass
Discussion Comments
I love all the solar lighting that is available. I have a long walkway that I have lined with solar lights. Not only are these decorative, but also functional because they provide light without relying on an electrical outlet.
This is so much easier than running an electric cord to an outlet to provide light. They also add a decorative touch to my yard which looks appealing.
We live in an area that has a lot of sunny days, so I don't have to worry about my lights not soaking up enough of the sun. I don't know if these would work as well where they have a lot of cloudy days.
I am a gadget lover and really love to see all the new green gadgets and gizmos that are coming out. If I am looking for a unique gift for someone that seems to have everything, buying them some kind of green gadget is always a good way to go.
Many of these are such simple concepts when you stop and think about it. I really like to use silicone baking cups instead of the paper liners when making muffins. They work just as good and cut down on waste that is not environmentally friendly.
Other great green kitchen gadgets are bamboo utensils. I have started replacing many of my kitchen utensils with bamboo, and recently purchased a bamboo cutting board. Bamboo is a renewable source, will last a long time, and the utensils don't scratch my cookware.
I really like some of the new chargers that will stop the energy flow once a device is fully charged. I used to have a bad habit of leaving a cord or appliance plugged in to the wall even though I was not using it.
For example, when we charged our cell phones, we would just leave the cord in the outlet all the time. With the new chargers, I don't have to worry about this so much.
I am trying to get in the habit now of unplugging something when it is not in use. Not all gadgets have this type of charger, but for those that utilize this, I think it makes a difference.
Sometimes it is easy to think that what one person does really doesn't matter that much, but when you multiply that by millions of people, it makes a huge difference.
On a much smaller scale, I like to use decorative lawn ornaments that rely on both solar and wind energy. As far as the wind energy that creates the movement, these are not much different than the small pinwheels I had as a kid.
The concept is the same, they are just a lot fancier than they were years ago. Some of the new green gadgets are taking advantage of a concept that has been known for many years, but only recently have they been recognized as green gadgets.
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