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Famous Actor Struck Down by... Really Really High Mercury Content

2008-12-18T22:00:21Z

Earlier today Chicago Breaking News, the Huffington Post (and several others I am sure) reported that actor Jeremy Piven will be headed home from Broadway for a while-- due to "extreme mercury toxicity."

Now, not even Piven's doctors (and he has a couple) know why his mercury count was "the highest [they'd] ever seen" but other journalists at other outlets have noted that Piven was an avid sushi eater, meaning often he had two meals of sushi a day.

Which reminds me of my last job.

Shortly after I was hired my former employeer learned that he too had "extremely elevated mercury levels"... of mysterious origin...

There are plenty of ways to expose yourself to mercury, thermometers, CFL lightbulbs, and batteries are just a few. But the doctor of my former employer believed that most likely my boss' mercury issue was linked to the copious amounts of sushi-grade tuna he was eating each week. Which dovetails well with revelations from the New York Times just one year ago that they found illegally high mercury levels in 5 out of 20 samples of sushi tuna they purchased in NYC.

During the months following my employer's mercury discovery I spent a lot of time researching data on mercury in seafood and even had two samples of canned salmon from off the coast of British Columbia privately tested by a chemical lab for its mercury content at the behest of my employer. I don't remember the exact numbers, and I know that mercury levels in individual fish may vary, but the samples I had tested had a mercury content 3x higher than EPA estimates for the same species. The levels were not poisonous, but they were concerning.

To protect public health, FDA is legally allowed to remove fish from the market that contains more than 1ppm (part per million) of mercury. You would expect that the FDA would protect us by enforcing that... but notably several fish samples purchased by the New York Times surpassed that limit, and many fish species on EPA's website approach that limit. (You can find EPA's estimates regarding the mercury content in fish derived from data from 1990-2004 here).

Which may explain the befuddlement of Gina Solomon earlier this week when she learned of a bizarre draft document produced by Bush administration FDA "that ignores the science showing the harmful effects of prenatal exposures to mercury, and concludes that eating fish with relatively high levels of mercury can be beneficial"

Again, I'm no scientist. Or doctor. But this information about mercury just doesn't sit well with me, or the personal experience of people I've worked with. And since I'm not a scientist my best bet is to listen to Gina, who is both a scientist and a medical doctor. And to read things. And then to decide what is best for me.

Today, it is not a giant slice of tuna...

If you want to learn more about mercury in seafood, how much you may be eating each meal and what fish contain the lowest levels of mercury, check out NRDC's "mercury in seafood" website and wallet guides at http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/index.asp

More information can also be found on the Chicago Tribune website. They did a "local fish" test similar to the one done by the New York Times with similar results.

EcoGeek’s Girlfriend-- What a Woman Wants

2008-09-19T20:18:31Z

Today, EcoGeek reported in their blog post “EcoGeeks get all the girls” that “It turns out girls dig guys who dig environmental technology.”

Where are they getting their information? From Big Three automaker GM.

Fancy that.

As it happens, GM did a study this year as part of their Challenge X competition (“a yearly competition among college students to make GM vehicles more efficient”)- the results were probably pretty shocking to GM Exec Bob Lutz, who just a few days ago suggested to Steven Colbert that aside from cheaper fuel (i.e. < $1 per gallon) the new Chevy Volt electric car would help Steven attract a particularly elusive type of woman: the hippie chick.

Well, read this Mr Lutz: eco-cars don’t just attract hippies anymore.

According to GM’s own research eco-friendlier cars attract nearly 88% of women overall. In fact

“Eighty percent of American car buyers would find someone with the latest fuel-efficient car more interesting to talk to at a party than someone with the latest sports car.”

As an environmentalist non-hippie chick, and a former psych major, it makes sense to me.

Women are shown in studies to be attracted to intelligence and (to put it simply) stability— two things that are generally held by people "who dig environmental technology.”

I think 88 percent of women have come to face facts: we’re pulling resources from the ground about as fast as we’re pumping carbon into the air --- oil is running out fast, prices are skyrocketing faster, and natural gas and other fossil fuels aren’t going to take us far before they run out too.

Oh yea, and dollar for dollar investment in green energy will create more jobs than investing said money in.. say.. oil.

Something’s gotta give.

So a person who understands that the best blue and true solutions are…well… green…is probably going to be the one that girls like myself will flock to.

Efficiency and sustainability make sense. Maybe we don’t have all the infrastructure we need yet, but the infrastructure for that blackberry you’re clinging to wasn’t around a decade ago either.

We live in a world of limited resources; we have to figure out ways to cut back on what we use without cutting back on our quality of life.
We subsist in large part on fossil fuels, which are limited resources; we have to figure out how to use unlimited resources.

So if a girl wants a smart companion, a stable companion-- someone who gets it and is planning for the future-- who is she going to chase?

The choice is clear, Mr. Lutz – most girls are going to chase that person driving the small, efficient, eco- friendly car.

I think speak on behalf of 88% of my fellow ladies when I say, please, keep those efficient eco-friendlier cars coming.

BYO Spork

2008-07-23T20:17:16Z

Lately, as a good greenie, I’ve been obsessed with the BYO phenomenon. I bring my own bag, everywhere. I fantasize about bringing my own takeout container regularly. And everytime I see a disposable fork, spoon, or chopstick thrown onto a table I silently chastise myself and make a mental note: I need to buy a portable set of reusable silverware—or at the very least steal an old set from my mom’s house, pronto.

So today, it was not without a shrill inner cry of joy that I stumbled upon an outdoor stainless steel cutlery set made by a popular reusable water bottle producer.

It’s like the swiss army knife of treehuggers—never use a plastic fork again!

So tonight, afterwork, I’m going to indulge and buy that spork set and carry it with pride. That’s good news for my mom’s silver set, and my local takeout restaurant.

Next up: reusable chopsticks with a chic silk pouch.

Where the Water's at: 6 Ways to Save

2008-07-07T21:46:32Z

Today, states and cities across the US are increasingly confronted with the looming threat of water shortages. Last summer Georgia, Florida and Mississippi repeatedly faced ominous images of receding waterlines at local lakes and reservoirs. This year, summer has barely started and already states like Nevada and Utah are dealing with droughts, while California has already initiated state-wide water conservation measures.

Some scientists are saying that in the near future (read: 2040-2060) much of the American West will be experiencing less rainfall, smaller snowpacks, and overall, less water. So the question quickly becomes: How can your family reduce your water waste without cutting back on your quality of life?

Well, apparently (according to the experts at NRDC) you can do a lot.

THE SMALL STUFF

[1] Shower Savers

Shockingly, showers account for up to 32 percent of home water use. So what to do? Shower smarter.

If you have small kids, start saving water today by turning bath time into play time: wash the kids together and save time, money, and a couple tubfulls of water.

Or, if you want to reduce water use while keeping your favorite showerhead, try purchasing a flow control valve and installing it between the arm and the head. It won’t reduce water as much as a low-flow showerhead, but it’s a step in the right direction.

For the best water savings buy a low-flow version of what you have now. Just by installing a WaterSense label showerhead families can cut their shower time water use in half. In fact, families of four could save enough water each year to fill a 30ft x15ft x6ft swimming pool!

[2] Things that flow: Faucets

While you’re at the hardware store, pitch in a few bucks for a faucet aerator. Placing these inside faucets saves 3 to 4 gallons per minute when you turn on the tap.

If you don't feel like buying something new you can also just reach under your sink and use the flow control valve to reduce the water flow to your faucet. Fiddle around until you find the flow that’s satisfying but more modest than the usual torrential pour.

And of course there are the simple savings, such as turning the faucet off while soaping your face, shaving, or brushing your teeth. Rinse. Then repeat.

[3] Toilet Tips

Like showers, toilets are water hogs. In fact, about 40 percent of the water used in the home gets flushed down the toilet each day. What to do? With standard toilets you really have only two choices:

Choice 1: take a plastic milk jar, fill it with water, stones, etc. Place the weighted jug in the toilet tank to displace water and reduce the about of liquid used in each flush.

Choice 2: upgrade your porcelain throne to a dual flush or low flow toilet and reduce the water washed down the drain by 2 to 3.5 gallons, per flush.

[4] Use the Dishwasher, Not the Sponge.

What other place is your water is secretly being wasted? Look to your kitchen sink. An open faucet lets about 5 gallons of water flow every 2 minutes. Instead of soaping up by hand, run the dishwasher only when it’s full and save between 10 and 20 gallons of water a day.

Alternately, if you love doing dishes, try washing them by hand in a sink or dishpan containing water, rather than running the tap continuously as you scrub.

[5] If It’s Leaking, It’s Broken

Water from leaky faucets accumulates just as quickly as snowflakes or raindrops. A dripping faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day [that’s enough clean water to hydrate a family of four for 8.9 days [based on 0.56 gal/day/person]. Worse yet, a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons every day.

Fix leaks and drips as soon as possible to avoid high water bills and save the water lost for something more pleasurable. Even with things like fixing outdoor garden faucets it’s easy to find DIY instructions online.

[6] About All Those Plants… Fertilize less, mow taller and water smarter.

Planning on doing new landscaping? Try Succulents or native plants, some can go over a week without watering.

As for managing what you already have…

- leave the mower clippings on the lawn to slow down evaporation.
- don’t fertilize, like your kid, the faster it grows the more it eats.
- allow your grass to grow a bit taller and you’ll reduce water loss by providing more ground shade for roots and promoting soil water retention.
- and buy a rain barrel to catch rain runoff so you can water your plants with waste rather than the stuff coming our of your faucet

When watering your plants, water early [before 6am] or late [after midnight] and don’t water every day [skipping days will encourage deeper roots and drought resistance].

If you’re not a morning person or a night owl, invest in an irrigation timer to maximize your zzz’s while minimizing your water waste.

IN SHORT

The water you use matters. A family of four could save enough drinking water to sustain themselves for 26 years, just by replacing their conventional showerheads with low-flow showerheads for one year.

For more solutions see what your local community is doing to cut back on water waste, get involved, or when you only have a little time, browse websites with watersaving tips.

[When in doubt, do the math yourself: ~20,000 gallons water are saved per year by families of four that switch to low-flow WaterSense label showerheads from conventional ones. 1 healthy person drinks approx 0.52 gallons per day. A family of four drinks 2.08 gallons per day… so 20,000 gallons could last them 9,615 days OR 26 years]

The Daily Green’s Stingy Dad Guide to Father's Day- Nice.

2008-05-30T23:43:18Z

This morning, as I was compiling a daily report of NRDC’s media hits, I came across the aforementioned feature on The Daily Green. I smiled. I laughed. I thought of my father. The piece entitled: “The Stingy Dad Guide to Father’s Day; Dad Was Right (and Green) When He Told You To…” contains numerous Father’s Day gift tips that far surpass what I had come up with so far (.. ahem… nothing…) and runs the gamut from well-justified-gifts-of-nothing, to beer, car tune ups, and other things dads like.

The article begins:

Remember all those little nuggets of wisdom Dad doled out over the years? ("Turn off the lights!" "Stop driving like a maniac!" "Go outside and play!" etc., etc., etc.)

Ah, the advice you hated to hear... Have you noticed that these are the same sage tips recommended by the architects of the new green movement? Gasoline at $4 a gallon and a world turned upside down by global warming have made Dad's attention to every watt of energy seem smart, even (gasp!) trendy.
Impress Dad this year by saving all that energy you might otherwise spend driving to the mall. Dads are notoriously hard to shop for, and notoriously stingy. This Father's Day, celebrate Dad's wisdom by recognizing just how green he really is (even if he doesn't know it).
So skip the gift and tell Dad he was right. Tell him he's always been right. Tell him he keeps getting more right all the time. (Just do it. Father's Day is only one day a year.)

I like the way they think.

I’m tempted to add a few things to their tips: i.e. Don’t stop with organic beer, throw some love to the locals and give dad organic beer from your home town---and then follow the suds with stats on the fuel and money wasted on importing foods from fancy-schmancy places (like France, Fiji, and…Canadia?). But instead, I think I’ll embrace the truth: it’s probably time for this tip-writing-blogger to bow to The Daily Green and give props.

Oh yea, and props to my Dad too: Dad, you were right, eating all my brussel sprouts (from the garden), growing our own vegetables, and walking to my friend’s houses instead of getting a car ride is better. Thanks dad. You’re the best.

Mother’s Day Gifts for the Mindful Buyer

2008-05-05T15:16:28Z

Now I’m not a mom yet, and my mom lives on the west coast (leaving me pretty much off the hook when it comes to Mother’s Day) but that’s not to say that I don’t have plenty of ideas about what I would want if I was a mom, or better yet, what I can still do for my mom from 2,851 miles away.

To begin with if your mom lives in far away like mine, you should definitely utilize the internet. The warehouse-to-door nature of online purchases makes the long distance mother-daughter-relationship a bit less… distant… Internet orders also come with added perks, like ground shipping (which saves cash, carbon and creates a little bit of that “hrmm I wonder what’s in the box?” excitement for the receiver of gift).

Anyway, the point is, in celebration of the coming holiday (and as a reminder to myself that Mother’s Day is May 11th) I came up with a handful of sustainable gift ideas. Please enjoy:

What to do if your mom lives far away:

1. Three words: Organic cotton sheets

Most moms work hard, and sleep is probably one of their most valuable indulgences. And for many, her bedroom is her sanctuary—it is a restful peaceful place. Any gift that you could give her to make it more comfortable, more restful and above all more healthy, is worth it.

If you decide to go the “organic sanctuary” route, you can find standard organic cotton linens online at prices similar to standard sheets, and considering the pesticides you’d be saving [one pound of herbicides pesticides and fungicides for every three pounds of processed cotton] they’re more than worthwhile.

Or if you’re willing to splurge, go for a high thread-count set (400+ is luxury). They’ll cost a good deal more, but they’re durable, softer with each use, and are so nice she’ll still be using them come Mother’s Day 2010.

2. Flowers

In many large cities there are a good number of farmers markets and at least one or two organic florists. Buying flowers locally helps avoid the carbon footprint of shipping the buds from the far ends of Ecuador in a refrigerated truck, and buying organic helps avoid growing conditions that possibly involve the nerve gas sarin. But unfortunately after decades of care, for many of us sending mom a card with 20 bucks and a message saying “go buy yourself some nice local flowers” doesn’t exactly cut it.

Instead doing a little online research helps a lot. Look into the price differences, and then make the choice that’s right for you: buy organic flowers online from a warehouse and have them shipped to her doorstep or call one of her local organic florists and have them hand delivered. (If I find a third option I’ll be sure to let you know).

What to do if you’re still under the age of 12:

1. Pancakes!

If there is one thing that moms love, it’s when their kids cook for them. This could mean taking her out to a local organic restaurant, or it could mean making a sustainable breakfast in bed.

If you go for the latter, foods that are in season can be found on NRDC’s Food Miles minisite, and we can suggest a few recipes that include rhubarb, asparagus, wild leeks, spinach and other in season food too.

2. Make her something

For example: Silk or organic cotton eye pillows are great for time to relax. They’re also easily handmade/ homemade with some soft recycled cloth or organic yardage filled with organic flax seeds and dried lavender. You can find instructions online, just google it.

3. Give her a night off

For an overworked mom, sometimes some time off is the best Mother’s Day present of all. A home drawn bubble bath or organic salt soak is a good way to start, particularly if you top it off with some bees wax candles.

If she likes home pedicures, treat her health with a “phthalate-free” version of her favorite hue of nail polish. And don’t shy away from incorporating the family (and photo opportunities) into the evening—there are plenty of organic face mask recipes online that can be made from common kitchen ingredients. Look one up and then try it out—at the very least it will keep the kids busy while mom gets some rest, and in a best case scenario the application photos will take a prominent place in the family photo album.

What to do if you’re a husband:

Buy a book on foot massage and some organic oils. Then read it and use them. Low emissions. Low cost. And above all, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.... think of it in terms of the proverb “if you teach a man to fish”... only replace fish with "rub his wife's feet"

Organic vs. Local vs. Your Sanity…

2008-04-27T17:48:06Z

Yesterday I was confronted with a question facing many shoppers today: should I buy the organic granny smith apple or should I buy the locally grown apple?

Only to be honest the organic apple (Washington State) was “more local” than the conventional apple (Chile), and they both cost the same. The only thing that created an illusion of dilemma was that the Chilean apple was shiny, picture perfect and *looked healthier* while the organic apple that was slightly bruised and contained random shades of rose. Both apples came from places I’ve never visited. Neither was a good option. And my stomach was demanding food. Now.

I reasoned that I’d be mostly paying for the plane ticket and chemically-enhanced body image of Chilean apple, while the Wash State apple was priced as such due to its quality; value; organic-ness. And as I brushed aside the thought “don’t they grow conventional apples some place closer than Chile?” I grabbed the organic apple and happily placed it in my cart, thinking that maybe I just got a good deal (organic for the price of conventional—at least for certain foods organic is the way to go, right?)

I was wrong. The apple was sub par.

Later as I consulted the inflated prices on my receipt I realized I had just paid $1.55 for a disappointing (albeit organic) apple. And, even if I bought the other apple I would have still paid the same. The conclusion was clear: the wise choice is to buy a $0.75 (possibly organic) apple from the farmer’s market passed on the way to health foods store.

Apparently I am not alone in that conclusion. Recently CNNMoney.com discussed a food trends survey that revealed that many “organic shoppers” are abandoning the costly habit in the face of rising food prices. But they are not turning back to grocery stores (or conventional Chilean apples)—they are, instead, b-lining for the cost-value benefits of locally-grown foods at farmer’s markets.

The clear moral of the story is that if one wants to save one’s sanity and/or wallet it’s time to start observing which fruits and veggies are in season locally, and time to start making friends with one’s local bearded apple/carrot/flower/vegetable grower.

Their produce tastes better anyway.

Resources:

IN SEASON NEAR YOU (and written by us)

http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles

FIND A FARMER

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

EAT YOUR LAWN (a tale of sorts)

http://www.chow.com/stories/10995

WIKIHOW: Save Money at Farmer's Markets

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money-at-a-Farmers%27-Market

Cake for Breakfast

2008-04-08T23:17:11Z

During the winter I had this brilliant idea: sign up for a weekly delivery from an organic foods co-op of sorts and never have to walk through the snow with groceries ever again.

The idea was great. Only there were two hitches: 1) over the course of the entire winter there were maybe two major snowfalls in Manhattan and 2) they always delivered carrots (I hate carrots).

But salvation was not far off: I love eating carrot cake for breakfast.

I am not a baker—I’m lazy with measuring things, and like to taste as I go along—so it was not without mishaps that I developed the recipe that follows.

This specific recipe is made to be flexible and “seasoned to taste” (in fact in my apartment, most of the raw batter is consumed well before the liners hit the muffin tray), it is delicious, moist, and above all, healthy enough to eat in the morning, while sweet enough to taste… guilty.

According to NRDC's Food Miles website most of the ingredients in this recipe (carrots, carrots, more carrots) are in season year round in California and even in North Dakota are available in a nearby state 9 months out of the year. In short, this recipe is useful year round, and particularly appropriate for celebrating the last two weeks of carrot season on the East Coast (which FYI ends mid-april for hot-house carrots).

(and for those of you that don’t believe me that this is actually an acceptable form of breakfast, I beg you to check out the nutritional content as estimated by an online calculator and compare it to say… the nutritional information of a bowl of cereal or a bagel)

[Recipe]

Makes about 24 muffins (they go quick)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup oat bran

1 cup sugar**

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp your choice of spices (I usually use a mixture of cinnamon/ clove, or pumpkin pie spice)

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tbs ground flax seed whisked with 9tbs water **

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup unsweetened apple sauce

4 cups grated carrots

1 ½ cup dark raisins

1 ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Get out two non-stick muffin pans, and if you want, line with cupcake liners.

Mix together the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl (the dry ingredients), then slowly mix in the oil, flax mixture, apple sauce and carrots (the wet ingredients) until you achieve an even consistency. Taste. Adjust spicing/ sweetness/ ratios as necessary. Add raisins and walnuts, as many or as little as you want. Taste.

Scoop batter into muffin trays, filling each muffin well until it is ¾ full. At home this recipe makes about 24 muffins. Leave the remaining muffin wells empty.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Muffins are done when toothpick inserted in the center comes back mostly clean, and/or when centers spring back when gently pressed.

Let cool for 5 min on a wire tray (if you have one). Can be stored at room temperature on your countertop, covered in aluminum foil.

Serving suggestions:

Serve plain, with butter, cream cheese, with your favorite yogurt, or paired with a second muffin.

NOTES/ TIPS

** Organicness

All ingredients can be found organic for not much extra $$. The only thing that’s not consistently organic in my recipe is the flour and the oil.

** Sugar

The measurement above is inexact. I usually start at a half cup and then just add more as needed. Depending on the sweetness of your applesauce/ carrots/ palate you may need less than a full cup.

**For those that want to go super local

If you live anywhere outside of Hawaii, Florida or Louisiana, sugar is probably not a locally produced product. In this recipe the use of apple sauce reduces the need for sugar, and I always use organic… but if you still feel guilty or feel that you can do better, try switching the sugar out for the appropriate amounts of Maple syrup, or if you live near Mexico, Agave.

**Ground Flax

First of all, grinding your own flax seeds in a food processor until they look like a coarse flour before mixing with the water produces a moister muffin. Pre-ground flax meal makes fluffier dryer muffins. And as a third alternative you can replace each tbs of ground flax with an egg, but frankly the muffins don’t taste any better, and adding egg reduces the ecological benefits of avoiding refrigerated animal products.

** Apple Sauce/ Oil Ratio

You can mix and match the quantities, so long as it adds up to 1 cup you’re good. (the ratio here is my favorite)

** Eat the Batter

Taste it before you pop it into the oven, if you like the flavors great, but if not add a little more of whatever’s needed. Or just eat raw. It tastes good!

RESOURCES:

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles

http://www.chowhound.com/ (can help you find local organic restaurants and connect with local foodies)

Greening your Fantasy (Baseball League)

2008-03-11T17:49:49Z

Some tips for the virtual sports tycoon who wants to follow the lead of major-league baseball's just-announced greening initiative:

Stage 1: Research

Avoid bedside piles of player-stat baseball magazines this year.

Go Online and skip the mags. Simple internet search functions mean less time, less money, and less trash.
Put your computer to sleep and kill your screen saver during research breaks. Screen savers keep your computer running at full speed even when you’re no there. Killing the screen saver can cut your electric bill by at least $50/yr.
Or as a last resort, if you can't give up your catalog fix, choose the recycling pile instead of the trash can when it's time to toss them out.

Stage 2: Draft

When meeting with your Fantasy Baseball guys for the draft consider:

Location: Reduce your commute, choose a central location for your draft party. (If all the guys in your league work in your office, and the 9th floor conference room is open after 6.30pm, and no one is there to hear it, does it matter if you use it for the draft?)
Carpooling: This includes giving rides to your friends who don't have cars.
Do an online draft: They work just as well, and as an added perk you can look up stats online at a moment's notice when faced with an unexpected draft choice.

Stage 3: Party

Beer: Choose local mirco-brews, they’re tastier, express local pride, and they don’t travel as far keg to cup…
Choose reusable plates, cups and silverware (in other words, your regular daily stuff) for your game day party. Or at least choose recyclable or compostable.
Buy the Jumbo size: When your buddies are coming over, grab the bulk size instead of 16 single servings. Less packaging, less trash to drag to the curb, and bulk = discount, leaving extra cash to spend on tickets to the real game.

Stage 4: Gameday

You've got tickets, you've got beer, you've got...

Public Transportation? Hey, there's no arguing about who's the designated driver when there is no car.
Or carpool with your friends: Planning ahead to travel with your fellow tailgaters is actually the ecofriendly choice. You can also make your friends pitch in for parking and gas.
Or choose a Park and Ride service: Any and all of these choices will help decrease post game traffic, and simultaneously reduce your obligation to have to deal with it.

Stage 5: Go Mobile

Rarely does an environmental group make the suggestion that you should use or buy a new suped-up cell phone — but in the case of Fantasy Baseball, it makes sense.

Turn off your computer, use your cell: Almost any cell phone with internet access can be used to check stats AND leave the house. And cells use less electricity, and free you up to do other activities, like watching the local game in the bar with friends.
Use a laptop: Mobile and designed to use 50-75% less energy per year than a desktop and monitor -- in the long run, they'll save you $$ on your electricity bill.