Welcome to part seven of our blog series on Going Green, dedicated to helping attorneys practice law in a more environmentally friendly way.  Last week we discussed the positive effects that recycling can have on your business and on the environment.  This week we will focus on gadgets.

As lawyers, we can use an endless list of gadgets to help us get more utility and joy out of the job.  You may own some sort of portable music player, a smart phone, an additional cell phone, digital reader, laptop, etc.  Each of these things is an accessory that has become commonplace in the world today.  Some of them have almost become necessities if you want to keep up.

And though we always like to have the latest and greatest technologies available, it is important to remember that gadgets such as these use energy, and become waste in only a few short years when they grow old.  They are impacting the environment as much as any other product that we consume.

But there are ways to go green in your gadgetry.  First, before buying any new product you can compare them for environmental stats.  For example, Consumer Reports and Energy Star ratings can show you which products and companies are better for the environment.  Also, you can consider recycling an old gadget when it is not vital to obtain a new one.

Your purchasing decision is one of the most important decisions you can make when it comes to the environment.  But if you can’t choose the gadget that is the most eco-friendly, consider a few other steps you can take to minimalize its impact.  Charge it with renewable energy, use the gadget as long as you can, use it for as much as possible (limiting your need for additional gadgets), and recycle it when you are finished with it.

Each of these steps will go a long way towards limiting your gadgets’ carbon footprints.  It is better for the environment, and requires little effort for you.  The smallest of steps can have a positive reaction, and we all owe that to each other.

Past Installments in this Series
Part One – An Introduction to Going Green
Part Two – Cut Electricity Costs, Just Flip the Switch
Part Three – Forget Paper, Go Digital
Part Four – Travel Together, Travel Less
Part Five – We Recycle
Part Six – Natural Lighting