Why I Ditched New Laptops for a 2006 ThinkPad

2025-01-01

A freelance journalist recounts his experience of buying three new laptops between 2000 and 2017, costing a total of €5000 and lasting an average of 5.7 years each. Realizing the massive resource consumption and limited functional gains of new laptops, he switched to a €50 secondhand 2006 ThinkPad X60s. With minor hardware upgrades and a lightweight Linux OS, he dramatically reduced costs and environmental impact. The article details his strategies, including using a lightweight Linux distribution, upgrading to an SSD, and leveraging an SD card for data management, proving that older laptops can offer significant long-term economic and environmental advantages.

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Public Bathhouses: A Sustainable Future?

2024-12-22

This article explores the sustainability of public bathhouses and their historical context. From ancient Roman bathhouses to modern shower rooms, public bathing has played different roles throughout history, fulfilling hygiene needs while also serving as social and recreational spaces. The article analyzes the high energy consumption of modern bathrooms and proposes public bathhouses as a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative. It also discusses different types of public bathhouses and how to design a low-carbon, environmentally friendly public bathhouse, such as using renewable energy sources like solar and geothermal energy. Ultimately, the article calls for a reconsideration of the value of public bathhouses and their potential as a sustainable solution to address today's environmental crisis.

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