Goal For The Green

These days, everybody is trying to do their part to be more eco-friendly. While technology has in many ways been seen as the enemy, in other ways it’s actually making it easier to live “green.” The influx of hybrid cars is just one example or the merging of technology with green thinking. Eco-minded smartphone apps are yet another. Here are four of the best eco-friendly apps engineered to help you become more conscious of the environment.

BGT Eco 6.0

Cost: 99 cents

The BGT Eco app by BerryGoodThemes offers a striking smartphone theme for brightening up your phone. Connect with the positive energy of the vibrant spring and summer months any time of year. This theme retains the sliding panel design of your device while providing cheery, attractive flowered wallpaper looks. Crisp, white icons along with cool green highlights further enhance the design. You’ll also enjoy custom-made menus, banners, buttons, minimal file size, a wallpaper-friendly home screen and your choice of cursor. BGT Eco is quick, responsive, attractive and user-friendly — a great addition to your BlackBerry.

EcoNotes

Cost: Free

A simple but direct note taking app to help you to streamline your life in an environmentally friendly way. You’ll contribute to saving multiple trees by reducing your output of paper waste. EcoNotes allows you to preserve your random musings digitally, without paper. Simple steps like these all add up to a big environmental impact. Cool cell phones deserve cool apps, and with a price of free, this one’s hard to pass up.

Eco Theology

Cost: $19.99

Eco Theology is a comprehensive resource book that highlights and evaluates contemporary eco-theologies. Care for the environment has emerged and intensified in recent decades and it now seems to dominate much of our culture and political landscape. Religious environmentalism adds to the debate, seeking to examine cultural malaise as well as a potential solution for today’s environmental issues.

Author Celia Deane-Drummond offers a comprehensive resource in her book “Eco Theology” for this ever-growing field of inquiry. The book evaluates the merits and pitfalls of contemporary schools of thought and eco-theologies. The author introduces the reader to the most critical debates currently raging within eco-theology, following the trends that have sprung up around the world as well as the top contemporary theological responses. She encourages analysis and reflection in the reader via continued study using sections she has added at the end of each chapter and posing discussion questions throughout. Eco Theology is a full-length, digitized quality e-book. The BlackBerry version is packaged with a user-friendly, functional reader so you can just download and begin reading right away.

Eco

Cost: Free

With the Eco app, you’ll be able to learn simple tips for saving the planet by making small changes in your life. The Eco app appreciates your input as well — they encourage users to write reviews and contribute their own helpful tips, which could be featured in the next Eco app software update. Eco encourages everyone to remember that this planet is our responsibility; it’s up to us to treat it well and make it the best it can be. Getting tips and advice from the free Eco app can make living green even easier.

If everyone does their part, our planet could be in much better shape. Downloading eco-minded apps and using them consciously is just one way to contribute through technology.

The Greenpeace International Smart 2020 study projects 4 billion PC devices will be in use worldwide by the year 2020. Emissions are expected to double as compared to 2007 levels, and the demand for information and communication technologies (ICT) services will rise exponentially, as India and China experience rapid economic growth. Sustainability measures to address the significant carbon footprint created by maintaining large data centers are integral to reduce emissions. Virtual private servers (VPS) offer promising green solutions, but some VPS are greener than others. Here is what to look for when choosing a VPS for your website or business.

VPS Infrastructure

Building and maintaining data centers to respond to increasing customer demand for ICT will necessarily involve continually working to offset negative effects with innovative and creative green technology and environmentally friendly operating practices.

To gain a better understanding of the physical footprint and the magnitude of impact that data centers have on the environment, consumers can take a tour of Goggle’s data center online.

Viewers will see massive cooling tubes used to control the temperature surrounding towering rows of servers. Eco-friendly processes that utilize sea water for cooling tubes in Finland and recycled water in Belgium are incorporated into the infrastructure to lessen harmful effects on the environment and enhance sustainability, Google’s senior director of data center construction and operations told eWeek journalist Todd R. Weist.

Finding a Responsible VPS

There is not a universal protocol for rating VPS providers and measuring sustainability or environmental impact. Comparing a multitude of factors to reach the bottom line that determines who has the most ecologically friendly system and practices is difficult without leveling the playfield.

The most efficient way to measure sustainability and environmental impact is through calculating transaction carbons—examining the efficiency of the process along with the machines used to complete the process, according to Salesforce.

Look for a services company that provides reliable, environmentally safe options, including these features:

• Dependable uptime. Linux VPS hosting from MyHosting.com guarantees 99.9 percent uptime with 24/7 support.
• Internal green practices. Companies that limit printing internal documents to absolutely necessary items required for compliance or communication reduce paper waste significantly, along with providing green VPS support.
• Wind energy credits. Providers committed to protecting the environment may choose alternative energy sources such as water and solar. Other companies purchase wind energy credits to offset the high-energy consumption required to operate a data center.
• Reducing fuel. Many companies support telecommuting when possible. This practice reduces fuel consumption of daily commutes and also eliminates the necessity of relocating employees from other regions to a central office.
• Utilizing resources wisely. Data centers that incorporate architectural design features that limit negative impact on the natural landscape and utilize water reclamation reduce potential harm to ecosystems in the surrounding area.

All indications are that businesses and consumers will rely more heavily on the Internet in the future. Virtual Web hosting providers must embrace technology and policy that supports the environment. Business owners can encourage that participation by choosing web hosting providers that actively pursue greener business practices.

Know of a VPS business you admire for its green practices? Join the discussion with your comments.

Now that you have finished your Spring cleaning, perhaps your room needs that extra something special,or an added glow. Lighted branches are just the answer.

Lighted branches are the perfect addition to any floral arrangement or room decor, because they look realistic while adding additional light to any project. There are some varieties of lighted branches that are able to stand alone on walls or in vases to create a unique, sophisticated look that brightens the mood in any room.     

Other choices such as, willow branches from Batteryoperatedcandles.net are an excellent project addition because they look completely natural, allowing them to blend into any and all other décor in the room. Plus, there are several color choices to choose from, as well as, LED or plug in options for their arrangements.

Unique bunches or branches can be easily incorporated into wedding, anniversary or holiday arrangements to create a one-of-a-kind look. With these beautiful arrangements,anyone can easily eliminate the need for dusty, old lamps and silk flower baskets. These unique lighted bunches or branches, allow you to provide as much light as you like in the room, while creating a special look that is not only stunning, but practical as well.

The glow of the bulbs is perfect for use on end table arrangements, because it provides a perfect reading light that is easy on the eyes. At Battery Operated Candles, they carry a variety of lighted branches suitable for nearly any project, decor, or celebration.

Flowered branches and more simple pieces are available to add a touch of class to your art project or home décor, at any time and for any occasion. They are unique and special, offering you a way to save your arrangements from weddings and other special events, and still keep using them. With many varieties and color choices there is bound to be something for everyone to enjoy at Batteryoperatedcandles.net