Portable Devices - How Do They Impact Our Planet?

Going green is becoming more and more important everyday. You hear a lot about saving energy and cutting down on air pollution caused from the exhaust of vehicles but you don't hear much about portable devices. Do small everyday electronics have an impact on the planet? The answer is yes although, individually, they don't make much of an impact. However, when you take into consideration how many portable devices are used every day, you can see how together they can create quite an impact.

So what exactly would fall into the category of portable devices? Below is a list of a few small handheld electronics that many people carry around with them everyday:

* Cell phones
* MP3 players
* Digital cameras
* Gameboys
* Palm Pilots

How many of these do you carry around with you each day? These handheld devices need to be re-charged or the batteries need to be replaced regularly in order for the device to continue working. How many old cell phones have ended up in the trash just from your family alone? Should we even mention all those worn out batteries that get discarded each year?

As you can see, portable devices have a large impact on the environment even though they appear to be harmless at first glance. Of course, many of us couldn't do without our cell phones and don't even try to pull a teenager away from their MP3 player or cell phone. So what can be done to lessen the impact of these portable devices? Below are a few suggestions that can help out:

* Before purchasing any handheld device, consider the lifecycle of that device and consider how it can be recycled when it is no longer of value to you.
* Use rechargeable batteries whenever possible.
* Look for the energy star rating for the device you plan to buy to try and find the one that is most energy friendly.
* Unplug the power cord when not recharging the device to eliminate vampire power from wasting energy.
* Try buying used portable devices when it's appropriate and don't trade in your cell phone for a new one each time something different shows up on the market.
* Invest in a small personal charging device that allows you to use solar or wind power to charge your portable devices. These are becoming more popular all the time.

You don't have to avoid using portable devices to lessen the impact they have on the environment, you simply have to use them more responsibility. Think about what changes you can make that will make a difference.

Lisa Mason is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She has also authored her own books and works as a consultant to other writers, Internet marketers and Internet businesses.

Lisa Mason, Professional wordsmith for hire: gamer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, published poet, co-owner of game guides company, public speaker and Internet business consultant. You can learn more or follow Lisa's blog from her website: http://www.freelancewriter4hire.com

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