What makes a greener gadget?
There are lots of ways a gadget can be green. Look out for products that are: • energy efficient – these products are designed to use as little energy as possible. They save money over their lifetime by using less electricity. To see if a product is energy efficient, look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo • recycled – making a gadget from new materials takes a lot of energy. Using recycled materials is often more efficient and reduces the waste going into landfill. • renewable – lots of gadgets use a renewable energy source instead of batteries or mains electricity. They might use a solar cell to harness the sun’s energy or have a wind-up handle so you can use your own muscle power to generate electricity. • made to save energy – some gadgets modify your appliances to make them greener. For example, standby switches automatically switch your electronics off standby so they don’t waste energy when they’re not in use.