Green Home Computing For Dummies

Make your computer a green machine and live greener at home and at work

Get on board the green machine! Green home computing means making the right technology choice for the environment, whether it be a Windows-based or Mac-based computer and all the peripherals. In addition, it means learning how to properly and safely dispose of those items and how to use your computer to create a greener life at home and at work.

Computer expert Woody Leonhard and green living guru Katherine Murray introduce you to the many green products that exist in the world of technology, including eco-friendly desktops, laptops, and servers; energy-efficient peripherals; and the numerous Web sites that offer advice on how to go green in nearly every aspect of your life.

• Bestselling author Woody Leonhard and green living guru Katherine Murray show you how to make your computer more eco-friendly
• Discusses buying a green computer and choosing eco-friendly peripherals
• Discover ways to manage your power with software and servers
• Provides helpful explanations that decipher how to understand your computer's power consumption

With this invaluable insight, you'll discover that it actually is easy being green!

It can be easy to be green! Follow these suggestions and help save the planet

Get on board the green machine! Here's how to assess your technology's green factor and make small changes with big impact. You'll also find tips for using technology in green ways and advice on getting rid of old devices in an environmentally friendly way. Learn what to buy, when to upgrade, where to find green ideas, and much more.

• Watch your step — calculate the size of your carbon footprint and see how much your electronics contribute to it

• Do your home work — find great advice to help you make the case to your employer for telecommuting options

• You have the power — to use less energy, and you'll find lots of ways to do that

• Green upgrades — discover how to give your current computer a green makeover

• Buying green — learn what to look for when shopping for a new computer and peripherals

• When it's time to retire your electronic devices — uncover earth-friendly ways to recycle your old computer and be sure you don't give away your personal data

• Sharing is good — see how home networks, device sharing, and Windows Home Server can protect the planet

• The green cloud — find out why cloud computing makes green sense

Open the book and find:

• What the Energy Star can tell you

• Tips for reducing energy use throughout your home

• The difference between Energy Star and EnergyGuide

• How to decide what to print and what to read on an electronic device

• Definitions of common green terms

• How to prepare equipment for recycling

• Guidelines for setting up a green home office

Woody Leonhard is best known for his various Windows All-In-One For Dummies books. Woody's a Microsoft MVP and one of the original Microsoft Consulting Partners. He's also a Contributing Editor for Windows Secrets Newsletter. Katherine Murray is a nature lover, communications expert, and the author of more than 50 books on technology and business topics related to digital lifestyle.