computing and Energy Use

You may have heard of environmentally responsible or “green” computing and wondered if there is anything you can do. It can be difficult to filter through all the information, but the good news is that yes, there are a few simple steps that you can take to to conserve energy with your computer.

1. Take advantage of your computer's power-saving settings

Computer monitors are generally the largest consumers of energy on your computer, and the Sleep settings you choose will make a large difference in the amount of energy consumed. Note: Screen savers do not save energy.

PCSC Recommendation: Turn your monitor off when not in use, and/or use power-saving options in your computer's Control Panel or System Preferences.

Where to set power saving options

  • Windows Vista: Go to Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Power Options. Set your computer for Power Saver and then select Change Plan Settings.
  • Windows XP: Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Power Options.
  • Or, if you see the little battery indicator on your task bar, right-click it and then click Adjust Power Properties.
  • Macintosh OS: Go to System Preferences > Energy Saver

General recommendations:

  • Set your monitor to sleep after about 10 minutes.
  • Do not set your hard disk to Hibernate.
  • Make other settings as you wish, or go with suggested energy-saving pre-sets.
  • Experiment, and adjust as makes sense for your work style.

[Ever wondered about the difference between Sleep, Standby and Hibernate? If so, you may enjoy this useful page.]

2. Reduce paper waste

Many of these tips originate from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and their Green Computing Report.

  • Recycle waste paper.
  • Buy and use recycled paper in your printers and copiers.
  • Avoid needless printing of e-mail messages.
  • On larger documents, use smaller font sizes (consistent with readability) to save paper.
  • When documents are printed or copied, use double-sided printing and copying. If possible, use the multiple pages per sheet option on printer properties.
  • When FYI-style documents must be shared within an office, try circulating them or consider using e-mail instead of making an individual copy for each person.