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Having a laptop is great, but the one pitfall is they often heat up with prolonged use, which means your laptop has to use extra energy to cool itself down, and the heat reduces the lifespan of your computer, resulting in more electronic waste. DIY laptop stands have exploded in popularity, and many use items that would otherwise end up in landfills--items such as wine corks.
Wine corks are a great tool for elevating your laptop to provide better air circulation because they're small and easy to transport, very lightweight, and they won't leave marks on a desk or other surface. Here are a few ways to use corks as a laptop stand:
The Incline Stand
Use two corks to prop up the back corners of your laptop. This will provide much-needed air at the back where the battery is located, and it will also change the slope of your keyboard, which will reduce stress on your wrists.
The Disc Stand
Elevate your laptop about a half-inch off your desk or workspace surface with a single cork. Cut a wine cork in half, and then halve the two pieces to make four discs. Place one cork disc under each corner of your laptop. When you're on the go, store the discs in an old film case or pill bottle for easy transport.
The Sturdier Stand
For a more sophisticated laptop stand, collect several corks to create side supports (if you don't drink much wine, ask friends for their corks). Measure the depth of your laptop and then glue corks side-by-side to create a row of corks that can sit under one side of your laptop. Make a second row for the other side of your laptop. This option allows air to pass under while providing plenty of support for your laptop.
All three options are a simple solution to a problem every laptop user has to deal with, and they help green your computer use and keep corks out of landfills.
