Perhaps no two lifestyle changes have been more pervasive since the turn of the century than the increased reliance on technology and the ever-growing movement for the world to grow more environmentally conscious.Today, few can imagine much less remember a world with no cell phones, e-mails or Internet. Similarly, the go green movement has made it hard for many people to remember a time when we didn't consider conserving resources or weren't more conscious of our impact on the environment.
While the two might seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum, that's not necessarily the case. In fact, technology can be used in a number of ways that make it beneficial to the environment.
* Improve your home and help the environment at the same time. Technology has made it much more environmentally friendly to improve or even build a new home. Ecofriendly materials are available that can greatly reduce a home's carbon footprint. For example, traditional drywall generates a lot of carbon dioxide at the factory and a significant amount of fuel is needed for it to be produced. However, a more ecofriendly choice takes less time to produce, reducing both fuel consumption as well as carbon dioxide emissions.
* Trade in your car. Hybrid cars greatly reduce a vehicle's impact on the environment, often getting as much as 60 miles per gallon of gas, saving hybrid drivers substantial amounts of money while significantly reducing the vehicle's carbon footprint. Those still driving gas guzzlers can take advantage of technology's hard work and trade in their vehicle for a hybrid or, in some areas, an electric car.
* Go paperless. The Internet has dramatically changed the way people live their lives. From how we order takeout to how we purchase movie tickets, seemingly every aspect of our lives has been influenced by the Internet. But the Internet can also influence the environment, and do so in a positive way.Whereas personal checks used to be the means by which we paid our monthly bills, nowadays the Internet allows us to pay bills online.
But how does this impact the environment? Certain creditors are willing to offer lower interest rates on credit cards or loans to customers who enroll for paperless statements. With a population in the neighborhood of 300 million, consider the positive impact going paperless could have on the environment should everyone decide to do so. Even if your utility providers or creditors do no offer discounts to go paperless, chances are very strong the option to do so still exists. So instead of choosing paper billing, which typically includes costly and wasteful advertisements along with your bill, go paperless and enjoy the ease of online bill paying.
* Clean green. A host of green cleaning products exist to help reduce the amount of volatile chemicals that enter the air when cleaning with traditional cleaners. Research continues to be conducted as to how to perfect ecofriendly cleaning products to improve efficacy but lessen the negative ecological side effects commonly associated with cleaning products.
CAPTION: Going paperless by paying bills online is one way technology has made it easier for people to lessen their carbon footprint.
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