Green Your Spring Cleaning with Tech

Not only have many of these chemicals been linked to respiratory problems and cancers, they can wreak havoc on the environment when they make their way into soil and waterways. Plus, vacuum cleaners and other appliances may suck up dirt, but they sap a lot of energy, too. Read on for the latest tech to help ensure your cleaning spree is earth-friendly.

Shop Smart

It's great that stores sell so many green soaps, sprays and surface cleaners, but figuring out which products are the most environmentally friendly can be tricky. GoodGuide.com rates products including household chemicals based on their healthy and green components. Check the web site before hitting the store, or download the GoodGuide iPhone app to actually scan product barcodes and bring up the site's ratings.

Fix, Don't Ditch

One of the prime targets on the typical spring cleaning hit list is broken electronics. Throwing e-waste out means that those old TVs, computers and laptops will end up in a landfill leaching toxic chemicals. Instead, see if you can fix items. Check out GreenerChoices.org's "Fix it or Nix it" site. The site lists common problems associated with cell phones, computers and TVs and recommends whether the item is worth fixing. If you do need to get rid of the device, make sure to it's properly recycled.

Greener Vacuums

Many vacuums on the market are now built with the environment in mind, boasting energy efficiency, durability, strong filtration and recycled materials. The Bissell Little Green handheld vac and the Electrolux UltraSilencer Green are both made from recycled plastic. Vacuum-Home.com features an entire page devoted to green vacuum cleaners.

Recycle or Donate Unwanted Items

In your cleaning frenzy, you might be tempted to throw out unwanted items, but resist! There are tons of takeback, recycling and charity programs that accept used items. For electronics recycling and manufacturer takeback programs, check MyGreenElectonics.org and Earth911.com. Type in your zip code, and both sites will pull up a list of nearby recycling and takeback locations. Goodwill International accepts all kinds of donations. To find a location near you, use the organization's online locator at locator.goodwill.org.

Use "Smart" Power Strips

Hooking electronics up to a power strip is a great way to organize all those messy wires. However, when folks leave devices plugged in, the electronics will oftentimes continue to sap power. "Smart" power strips can help eliminate vampire power consumption and save consumers money. Wattstopper's Isole Plug Load Control contains occupancy-controlled sensors that monitor when devices are plugged in but not in use, and the Smart Strip Power Strip will automatically shut off computer peripherals once it senses the computer is shut off.

How do you aim to green your spring cleaning this year?

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By Sarah Parsons of Inhabitat, an online magazine devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and design towards a smarter and more sustainable future. Written by a young tech-savvy team designers and design journalists, Inhabitat delivers fresh content daily, showcasing emerging work from the cutting-edge of the global design community.