apple

Apple Introduces Its Greenest MacBook Ever

jplatt — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:43:20 -0400

How green is the new MacBook? Apple says the laptop computer uses "one quarter the power of a single lightbulb" when it's running. That's not too shabby.

Of course, Apple doesn't say if they mean a CFL bulb or an incandescent, but even so, the green innovations in this new MacBook are definitely worth celebrating.

Let's look at the 13-inch screen first. The computer is free of dangerous chemicals often used in monitors, like PVC, mercury, arsenic and brominated flame retardants. It also employs an LED backlit display, which uses far less energy than other LCD screens.

On the manufacturing and shipping side, the MacBook is made with fewer parts, making it easier to assemble and recycle. Packaging has been significantly reduced (by 41%!) and uses more recycled materials.

There are also several innovations on the hardware and software side that help the computer use far less electricity.

All of these innovations helped the new MacBook earn both an Energy Star rating for energy efficiency and an EPEAT Gold rating for efficiency, manufacturing processes and recyclability.

The new MacBook starts at just $1,299 -- a bit high, not bad for a pretty tricked out laptop. Worth a look.

Getting To The Core

scleaver — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:22:19 -0400

News flash: this year has been a bad one for Michigan’s apples. Spring frosts and summer hail storms wrecked havoc on apples, with a potential loss of 20 percent or more, and we haven’t even gotten through the fall harvest.

The Chicago Tribune reported that apple farmers have used tactics like sonic waves that break up hail in the atmosphere (but only larger hail, small hail doesn’t get destroyed) and are diversifying crops to decrease their personal risk. Even so, this year there will be no Northern Spry apples out of Michigan (fear not, Gala, Golden Delicious, Gingergold, Paula Red, MacIntosh, and more will still be on shelves), and apple pricse are going to go up.

The plus side: stormy weather means lots of moisture, which produces larger apples. And, a hail ding doesn’t affect the taste of the apple. So, as you head out to load up on apples this fall, remember that your apples don’t have to be perfect, especially if they end up covered in caramel and nuts anyway.

Photo from Fruit Acres Farm Market & U-Pick Sweet Cherries, Peaches & Apples in Michigan.

The Power Veggies of Late-Summer

scleaver — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:24:30 -0400

In August and September, beets, apples, raspberries, spinach, and chard are in full-harvest. An article in the Chicago Tribune outlined just how good each of these summer treats are for you:

Apples are full of pectin (lowers cholesterol and glucose levels, fights prostate cancer) and quercetin in the skin helps reduce heart disease and lung cancer. (I hope I get the same benefit from caramel apples!)

Beets have tons of potassium, betaine and folate, nutrients that help with the cardiovascular system. Try a beet recipe (roasted beets with feta sounds excellent) from AllRecipes.com.

Chard is loaded with potassium, vitamin A, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin that protect the eyes. Recipe Zaar has tons of recipes for your swiss chard—and thank goodness because I wouldn’t know what to do with it otherwise!

Raspberries, besides being delicious, are high in ellagic acid (prevents tumor growth), potassium, calcium, and vitamins C and K. No recipe needed here, raspberries, in my opinion are best fresh off the bush.

And, there was a reason that Popeye ate spinach, it’s loaded with more nutrients per pound than any other food. Here is the self-proclaimed “most popular spinach recipe site in the world” SpinachRecipes.org.

So, now you know what to look for as you hit the farmer’s market this month. Happy eating!

Photo from Potomac Vegetable Farm’s ID That Vegetable page.

A Greener iPhone

jplatt — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0400

More than a million 3G iPhones were sold in the U.S. in the three days following the hot new device's release, a victory not just for Apple, but also for green electronics.

Not that Apple is telling us that. But as Worldchanging recently uncovered, the new iPhone takes several strides toward being a more environmentally responsible device.

Most importantly, the iPhone's battery is no longer soldered into place. Not only is solder a potentially toxic substance, its use made it impossible for users to replace their own batteries. If an iPhone battery failed, owners had to ship their devices back to Apple to be fixed, or just throw them out. So, no solder automatically means less toxic waste.

By the way, Apple also brags that the iPhone's battery life exceeds that of other 3G devices. Duly noted.

Worldchaging found a few other changes that make this new iPhone greener than previous versions: "...the handset, headphones and USB cable are all now PVC-free. The circuit board is produced without bromine. The LCD is made sans mercury" All of which is good news.

Of course, a huge percentage of those million iPhones were replacements for older devices. What happened to the old phones? Let's hope they were recycled properly. (See my earlier article, "How to Recyle Your Old Cell Phone.")

Apple Pie News

scleaver — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

There’s not often local food news in the dead of winter, so I’m happy to say Congratulations! to Fred Burns who recently won the 3rd Annual Michigan’s Best Apple Pie Contest on Wednesday January 25 (National Pie Day). Burns’ pie was his father’s deep-dish, double-crust version from the early 20th Century made with Michigan Northern Spry apples. Now Burns, one of only three men in the 60-person contest, is moving on to the National Pie Championship in April.

Apples are big in Michigan as they are across the U.S. According to the Michigan Apple Committee, apples are “Michigan’s most valuable fruit crop, with a value of about $100,000,000 annually.” Apples produce $400 to $500 million annually for the state, and small family farmers are the bulk of producers, “99 percent of Michigan orchards had fewer than 100 acres in apples.”

Next time you come across local apples, here’s Burns’ pie recipe (note that Pioneer Sugar and light brown sugar as well as the apples are local Michigan products):

My Father’s Apple Pie (taken from MichiganApples.com)

CRUST:
2 C flour
1/2 T PIONEER SUGAR
1 tsp. salt
1 C shortening
1/4 C cold water
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1 large egg

FILLING:
5 avg. size MICHIGAN NORTHERN SPY APPLES, peeled, sliced about 1/4” thick
1 C PIONEER SUGAR
1/3 C PIONEER GOLDEN LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
dash of salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 T tapioca
5 T butter

DIRECTIONS:
Crust – combine flour, PIONEER SUGAR and salt together in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until coarse. In a separate bowl, combine cold water, vinegar, and egg and whip lightly, then add to flour mixture, stirring lightly with fork until it becomes a sticky dough. Refrigerate finished dough in a small covered container or plastic wrap for 2 hours or overnight.

Filling – combine all ingredients except butter and apples in a bowl. Peel and slice MICHIGAN NORTHERN SPY APPLES. Now stir the apples thoroughly into the dry ingredients to coat all the apple slices. Let mixture set for 15 to 30 minutes to develop a “juice” while you roll out the crust below.

Take about 2/3 of refrigerated dough and roll to about 13-inch in diameter. Adjust to fit the deep dish and trim edges. Combine remaining dough and roll to about 11-inch in diameter. Add filling to dish and place 8 slices of butter on top of the filling. Add upper crust, roll the edges and cut a few “steam” slits in a design of your choice. You can also add some colored sugar sprinkles to the top crust that adds some color to the pie. Create your own art piece. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and then reduce to 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. I use an aluminum ring over the crust edge to avoid burnt edges. Cool on a wire rack for around 2 hours.

From the Kitchen of Fred Burns of Sparta, MI

Photo Credit: The Detroit Free Press article about his apple pie.

Cool Electrical Green Products

Marcus — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The age-old question: how do you remain green while still enjoying the comforts of your trusty electronics? The following list of electrical green products has been compiled to give you some insight into how to do just that. With this top ten, you can now be eco-conscious and technologically savvy.

1. Samsung Mono and Color Laser Printers

Germany’s “Blue Angel Label”- a leading European label for environmental certification- has deemed Samsung’s printers to be eco-friendly based on their “resource-saving and low-emission product performance.” Additionally, Samsung has instituted a company-wide STAR (Samsung Take-back And Recycling) program, to further improve its eco-status in the green business community.

2. Apple Computers

While Apple’s been criticized for its toxicity levels and low recycling, the company boasts very high EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) ratings for energy consumption during usage,which has the greatest overall impact on a computer’s environmental footprint.

3. LG 52-Inch Wooden Plasma HDTV

This luxury flatscreen doesn’t just have a wood frame- it also incorporates wood into its entire design. That, combined with LG’s pledge to only use “lead free/low-lead internal components” make this TV a bona fide green machine – if you can afford the $10,000 price tag, that is.

4. H20 Multi Function Alarm Clock

The H20 alarm clock is powered by – you guessed it –water. Simply refill it with tap water every couple of months or so, and it’ll keep on ticking. It also features a temperature reading.

5. Sony Eco-Edition Vaio Notebook

With a slim design for minimal use of natural resources, easy-to-recycle materials, and a pledge by Sony to donate one percent of the price of each notebook to non-profit organizations, this new Vaio is proving crucial to Sony’s efforts to turn their image around and become a full-fledged green corporation.

6. Nokia 3110 Evolve Cell Phone

This eco-friendly phone is made from 50% renewable materials, and boasts packaging that is 60% recycled. Additionally, the phone features a built-in alert to remind consumers to unplug the phone once it’s fully chaged. A step in the right direction from a cell phone industry that’s been sluggish adopting to going green.

7. Dell OptiPlex GX520

A desktop from the Dell line, this PC boasts lead-free power supplies, motherboards, and chassis, and utilizes virtually no toxic flame retardants on its internal components. The computer also complies with environmental standards laid out by Green PC and Energy Star.

8. Recycled Music Eco-Friendly Speakers

Not only do these speakers contain 0% toxic plastic or metal– they’re also made from recycled paper! That, combined with their innovative, eye-catching design, makes these speakers a great addition to your eco-gadget collection.

9. Eco Media MP3 Player

This music player doesn’t run on batteries or electricity –it runs on human power! Simply crank the player for one minute to enjoy 40 minutes of tunes. The player also includes an AM/FM radio and a built-in flashlight, so it’s a great addition to any camping or survival kit. Finally, the player comes with a USB port, so you can charge lots of your other electronics with just a few turns of the player’s handle.

10. Blu-Ray DVD Player/Discs

Last month, Blue Ray Technologies announced the opening of the first 100% eco-friendly Blu-Ray manufacturing plant. The plant, located in Spokane, Washington, is in a recycled historical building, utilizes green technologies like underground water cooling tanks and solar panels, and has started churning out eco-friendly Blu-Ray players and discs. Blue Ray appears to be on the cutting edge of both technology and sustainability.

Finally, take a look at this electronic usage calculator from myGreenElectronics.com to see how much money you could save by being more fastidious about shutting off your gadgets when they’re not in use.