With the holiday season upon us, many consumers began their preparations on the busiest shopping day of the year – Black Friday on Nov. 25. On Black Friday, consumer electronics were among the most sought-after items, according to a Consumer Electronics Association report. During the holiday shopping season, Alcoa, the world’s leading aluminum producer, is reminding shoppers to keep these tips in mind when purchasing consumer electronics. Green your gift giving this year.
What to Know Before You Shop
- First, determine whether or not your electronic device still has any value or if someone else may be able to find value in it. If you can no longer find a use for it, look for an electronics recycler in your area using a resource such as Greener Gadgets, which allows you to view a list of nationwide manufacturer, retailer and certified electronics recycling programs in your area by zip code. Recycling aluminum uses 95 percent less energy and produces 95 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than making metal from new materials!
- With aluminum, your electronics will always be cool… and stay cool. Because aluminum is more efficient at transferring heat than plastic and has better thermal management overall, devices made with the material can save energy. For example, an aluminum laptop is not only more energy efficient than plastic, but the battery life can be up to 20 percent longer. So, keep this in mind if you have your eye on a new smart phone, laptop or flat panel TV.
- When shopping for new a new LCD TV,be sure to take a look at those models that use aluminum for back-panels. The light weight and high strength of aluminum make these TVs ideal for mounting directly on a wall. The improved strength, slimmer design and better cooling performance make these models the green choice.
- Lighter is better. Electronic products made with aluminum parts, are not only infinitely recyclable, but these products will be much lighter in weight, allowing you to easily transport and move your device. Aluminum also allows for that hip metallic finish – the look and feel that consumers love.
- Tablets and Aluminum. Not surprisingly, tablets are a wildly popular item on wish lists this year and tablets made with aluminum have certainly become a rising trend as well. Aluminum is the material of choice for many of these devices because it enables a slimmer, sleeker design, lighter overall weight, and comes with the added bonus of its recyclability. Be sure not to miss these!
For more tips on recycling and how to turn your holiday shopping green, visit www.alcoa.com/recycling.
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