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EPA guidelines require Energy Star-labeled computers to enter a "low-power" mode when inactive and to use 70 percent less energy overall than traditional computer systems. This summertime, SVTC strategies to launch a brand new upgrade to their computer system report card at www. svtc.org. The updated report card will help customers buy from an accountable computer company, scoring them not just on toxic substances, but likewise on other factors such as energy performance, labor issues, and take-back programs.

According to the National Safety Council's Environmental Health Center, the typical life-span for a desktop computer is about two years, and the SVTC approximates that by the end of this year, Americans will have dealt with more than 300 million obsolete computer systems. By 2006, according to a report by the Computer system Take Back Project, more than 150,000 computer systems will become obsolete in this nation every day.

" With some easy maintenance, a computer can continue to do the tasks for which it was acquired a lot longer than the traditional expectation of three years." Even if updating isn't Official Info Here for you, remember that there's most likely someone who doesn't consider your maker outdated. You can probably discover a trainee, church, or nonprofit that would enjoy with your obsolete computer system.
If you must acquire a much better computer, consider buying used. Hardly utilized computer systems that are too out-of-date for a technologically sophisticated company might be ideal for home usage. "Buying a used computer can be a cost-efficient alternative to purchasing new, in addition to the comfort of knowing you avoided another computer from ending up in a landfill," states Don Mayer, CEO of Lap Dog Electronics, an authorized Apple reseller that provides both reconditioned and brand-new computers.

The resource link at the end of this article contains an across the country list of computer recyclers who informed Real Green they do all of their recycling in the United States, with no overseas shipping or jail labor. Some charge a small cost, while others just request shipping costs. An even more affordable and more environmentally friendly choice is to check your local yellow pages for computer system recycling in your area.