8 Gadgets to Green Your Office
From printer ink to motion sensor light switches, you can save cash and go eco-friendly.
Product:SoyPrint
Price: $60 to $199
How it saves: Now available for office printing, soy-based toners are recyclable, nontoxic and free of petroleum products. SoyPrint is compatible with Hewlett-Packard business printers and Canon fax machines, and it makes paper easier to recycle or even compost. SoyPrint toners for other brands are expected to roll out this month.
Product:Western Digital Caviar GreenPower Hard Drive
Price: Starting at $70
How it saves: Reduce power use and increase energy efficiency with GreenPower hard drives, which are quieter and cooler than their counterparts. These drives save 4 watts to 5 watts per year compared to standard drives.
Product:LED Lights
Price: $220
How it saves: Powered by Brillia LED modules, these lights use 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and 30 percent less than fluorescents. They also last longer and emit very little heat.
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Product:Encore Electronics Thin Client
Price: $110
How it saves: Reduce the power you use while computing by having multiple workers share a PC or server's computing power. One PC can power about 10 Thin Clients; one server can power about 30. A Thin Client uses only 5 watts to 10 watts a year, whereas a desktop uses about 350 watts.
Product:Solio Magnesium Edition Hybrid Charger
Price: $170
How it saves: This solar- and wall-powered portable charger has a USB input for devices like iPhones, and comes with a set of Universal iGo tips to connect to various phones. One hour of sun will give you 20 minutes of talk time, and its battery stores a charge for up to a year.
Product:Critical Links EdgeBox
Price: Starting at $2,500
How it saves: Replace four to six standalone communications devices with this small box that consolidates your phone system, e-mail server, web server, fax, security, VPN, data storage and more. It saves materials and power, and can be scaled from 10 to 300 employees.
Product:Dell OptiPlex 960 Desktop Energy Efficient
Price: Starting at $863
How it saves: This PC's energy-saving features let you use 43 percent less power than the previous model. Dell uses at least 10 percent post-consumer recycled plastic on the compact structure and up to 89 percent recyclable packaging. The desktop also has optional QuietKit technology to reduce noise by 60 percent.
Product:Occupancy Motion Sensor Llight Switches
Price: $18 to $62
How it saves: Don't waste electricity by leaving lights on in unoccupied rooms. With simple-to-install infrared occupancy detectors, you won't have to worry about anyone forgetting to flip the switch.