7 Overrated Technologies and Their Underrated Low-Tech Alternatives
Photo of compost machine via NatureMill and compost pile via cogdogblog
Headlined: Composting Machines
Composters come in a variety of designs and sizes from giant tubs you can spin to indoor machines that do the work for you. The newest technology we’ve covered is electronic machines. Plug-in composters offer a way for apartment dwellers who often lack yards to compost indoors. The interesting thing about this device is it shows what very little space is needed to compost, and underscores that correct composting means no smell. All of which leads us back to the roots of composting…
Sidelined: A Pile in the Corner of the Yard
While it’s true that some people have no yard to speak of – not even a community garden to take kitchen scraps to – for those of us lucky enough to have even a small wedge of dirt in our yard, a composting machine isn’t needed at all. A well-maintained pile of biodegradables will manage to compost itself quite well without the need for gears or wiring. Sadly, unless you’re a hardcore gardener, compost piles doesn’t make for very interesting conversation, nor Diggable headlines.
Photo of recycling bin via Dano and bulk food via karpacious
Headlined: Recycling
Recycling is an absolute must. New technologies to help us better recycle the mess of consumer goods we create are vital. We love talking about the new ways to turn junk into fuel, or make something useless into something cool again. It is exciting to see not only the technologies involved in the actual recycling, but also what products now use recycleable materials and recycleable packaging. But what doesn’t get as many nods are products and ideas for how to go without the stuff that needs recycling.
Sidelined: Precycling
Precycling is a simple concept: do things that avoid waste. I'm not sure why we don't talk more about it, but I suppose because it is all about what not to do. However, precycling is awesome and deserves some web space. It includes actions like bringing your own storage containers to bulk food stores, skipping the overly packaged foods and goods, designing products that use the least amount of wasted material as possible, using lunchboxes, and passing on print jobs. Precycling revolves around the "Reduce" and "Reuse" corners of the green triangle. And actually, this is a pretty interesting topic!
Photo of computer monitors via TotalAldo
Headliner: PC Power-Saving Software and Equipment
We know PCs tend to be big power suckers, and we're always on the prowl for new technology that helps them run efficiently. From new computers that sip energy, to software downloads that keep a tight shut-down schedule, to silly EcoButtons, anything and everything can be helpful. However, something that doesn't get much attention is the fact that your PC already has power-saving capabilities built in to it that allow it to save energy right this second, at no extra charge.
Sideliners: A PC's Existing Power Preferences
Adjusting your PC power settings is a soft of non-techy alternative to techy power-saving programs. All you have to do is go into the power options on your computer to get started. For instance, on a laptop, you can go into the power options and program it to lower screen brightness, shorten the time for when it goes to sleep during inactivity, or shorten the time for when to turn off the display. These are just a small handful of the ways computers already have energy-saving capabilities that get overlooked when a cool new techy program walks into the room.
Photo of CFLs via Paul Keller and light switch via Greg Reser
Headliner: LEDs and CFLs
LED lights and CFL bulbs get a lot of attention around these parts because the technology offers serious improvements over our current lighting and display issues. We don't want to go without lighting when it is dark. That's clear as day. And one of the key ingredients to switching to LEDs or CFLs is the energy savings “ they use a lot less energy and what they do use is more efficiently turned in to lighting as opposed to waste heat. Yet, energy savings can come in more forms than a twisty bulb in a box!
Sideliner: Using lights sparingly
Equally as efficient at saving energy is the decidedly non-tech alternative to CFLs and LEDs “ turning off the lights. Using lights only when you need them, and only to the degree to which you need lighting is a big energy saver. Sure, there are even techy gadgets that help you turn the lights off. But really, all we have to do is flip the switch on only when we need it, and flip it off when we're done with it. Businesses that use extensive lighting can learn from this too; for example, does the light of a bathroom restaurant really need to be on when no one is in there? But, we don't talk about this because, well, you already know it.There are a lot of simple non-tech solutions to our environmental woes that just don't seem to get the press time because they aren't the world's first, or groundbreaking discovery, or just interesting to debate. They are, however, equally as important as new advances. Hopefully, we will remember them even as we ooh and aah over cool new innovations.
More on Getting in Touch with Our Non-Techy Sides:
5 Ways to Ditch Extra Gadgets, Simplify Life and Save Money
How Do You Go Green? Share Your Video Tips with TreeHugger!
