Green your TV

Will you need to replace your television soon - or is it just hype? The switch from analog to digital broadcasts could needlessly send millions of analog sets with toxic lead-filled cathode-ray tubes to landfills. If you currently subscribe to cable or satellite service you will be fine. If you are using an antennae now to get a signal you could have a problem come February 18, 2009. If your TV was built after 2003 it may have a built-in digital tuner that will allow you to receive a signal. If your TV doesn't have a digital tuner you can purchase a converter box to receive a signal. Every household is eligible to receive two $40 coupons from the government to purchase a converter www.dtv.gov

When your old tv finally dies, avoid energy wasting plasma tvs which use more energy a year than the refrigerator - which is the largest energy user for most households. The most efficient model would be an LCD TV less than 42 inches with the Energy Star symbol. Be sure to safely recycle your old television to keep all those toxins out of the landfill, check www.earth911.com to find a local recycling center. Remember to plug your new television into a Smart Strip which will shut down your home theater components when the television is turned off.