Dear Pablo,

Like many people in my generation, I am both a technophile and an environmentalist. Can I have the latest gadgets and be green?

I think you may have discovered the quandary of Generation Y (or is it “Why?”). How do we reconcile our visions for a more sustainable world with that uncontrollable urge to bring everything shiny and electronic back to our nests? The most sustainable answer, of course, is to address the root of this perceived need. Do I really need it? Can I borrow one? Can I rent one? Can I fix my old one? Can I play with it for hours at the Apple store until the novelty wears off? (more…)

Dear Pablo,

My parents are from the typewriter generation and insist on printing every document before they read it. Their argument is that reading it on the computer uses more energy than printing it out and turning the computer off. Is this true?

It certainly depends on the document and how you print it. A one-line e-mail would not make sense to print, where a 100-page reference document that is printed double-sided may make more sense to print. But let’s try to back that up with some numbers. (more…)