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How much do you think about computer chips, batteries - or even the mouse you’re using to scroll through this article? These tech instruments serve their purpose and for the most part, little attention is paid to how they are made and what they are made of – till now. Increasingly there has been a greater shift to move technology into a greener more eco-friendly realm, starting with the everyday products. Here are four green technology inventions that give commonplace gadgets an environmentally-friendly makeover through biodegradable materials and kinetic energy – read on.
1. WOODEN COMPUTER CHIPS
These wooden chips aren’t gracing a playground, but rather have the potential to replace the bulk of toxic and non-biodegradable materials in modern microprocessors. Developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the chips are created from a wood product called cellulose nanofibril coated with epoxy, which prevents it from expanding or attracting moisture like wood usually does.
GREEN FACTOR: The semiconductor chips can almost entirely biodegrade in a landfill, and provide an eco-friendly solution to e-waste.
2. CORKY THE 100% RECYLABLE MOUSE
This funky little computer mouse is dubbed Corky, and was created by designer Adele Peters. Corky functions like any other mouse, clicking, scrolling and moving around - it's just made of 100% recyclable materials.
GREEN FACTOR: The wireless mouse doesn’t require any batteries, as it generates energy kinetically – through the movement of the user's hand.
3. A BATTERY MADE FROM CARDBOARD
If your smartphone runs out of juice, designer Tsung Chih-Hsien’s Red Dot Design Award-winning concept is your best bet. The tiny Mini Power cardboard capsule is biodegradable, and will be available in batteries that provide 2, 4 or 6 hours of energy.
GREEN FACTOR: Mini Power uses a paper battery and doesn’t contain heavy metals. The idea is that once the cardboard batteries are kaput, they can be returned to the store and recycled.
4. THE LIGHTBULB THAT LASTS FOR 37 YEARS
Known for their vacuum cleaners, Dyson embarked on creating a long lasting LED light bulb lamp with successful results. Regular light bulbs literally burn out as they don’t have a way to cool themselves off. Dyson installed a horizontal heat-pipe instead of the usually used round heat sink in other bulbs. The aluminum heat sink in the Dyson bulb draws heat away, protecting the LED’s phosphorous coating.
GREEN FACTOR: These super bulbs have been tested to last four decades with 12 hours of use a day! The bulbs maintain their brightness and due to their long lasting factor, reduce the need to buy more light bulbs.
