More hours, and less waste in 2009...part 2 of 25!

Thanks to those of you who commented on my earlier post regarding my goals to have more time, and less waste in 2010.

I am hardly what I would call a "techie" but I am realizing that there is so much technology out there, that if harnessed properly, can really help me achieve my goals of :

1) Finding more hours in the day

and

2) Having less of an impact on the planet.

I have already discussed a FREE service through GOOGLE that has saved me countless hours in the car, and therefore saved countless gallons of gas (and a nice side effect, a good bit of $$$). Something tells me that GOOGLE's productivity tools are going to make regular appearances in my list of 25 things I can do to save time, and 25 things I can do to save the planet!

The second item on my list may seem like a bit of a stretch, but I want to encourage creative thinking amongst my readers. Remember, when I run out of ideas, I might need your help....so here it is:

Coffee has become part of my morning ritual. I never touched the stuff, until my wife and I honeymooned to Costa Rica...now I can't seem to get enough. I just (like many folks, I'm sure) do not function in the morning without my cup o' Joe. I'm amazed at how quickly I have become a snob about my coffee, and I really prefer freshly ground beans. In my normal bleary eyed state in the morning, this can be a chore.

This year for Christmas, my wife and I (for the second year in a row!) surprised each other with the same present...so I guess we both see the value in it!

Cuisinart makes several models of coffee makers that grind beans for each fresh pot!

Now, this may seem silly, and not worth my list that is going to make 2010 a better year, but follow my logic. If every morning, I spend 3-5 minutes grinding beans and cleaning out the grinder, that is 21-35 minutes a week that I am wasting on my habit and snobbery. That is up to 140 minutes a month...spent grinding coffee! That is 28 hours that I wasted in 2009, that I could have spent with my family, or at work. Get the picture? The little things add up, in a hurry. Make small changes, and you'll be floored at the consequences.

This is the second item that ends up on BOTH of my lists as well. How is this coffee maker helping me be green, you ask? When it brews into the Thermal carafe, the power to the unit shuts off. In 2009, I wasted over 700 hours of electricity, just to keep my coffee warm.

A recap of the list:

Twenty five things in 2010 to create more hours in the day:

1. 1. Google Maps and Verizon Droid to navigate showings
   2. Coffee Maker with built-in grind function and auto shut-off

Twenty five things in 2010 that can reduce impact on the environment:

1. 1. Goole Maps and Verizon Droid to navigate showings
   2. Coffee Maker with built-in grind function and auto shut-off