5 Easy Steps to Green Computing

You can t pick up the newspaper, turn on the television, or surfthe Internet, without being bombarded by hot topics such as global warming, risinggreenhouse gas emissions and the world s energy crisis. You re doing your part tohelp out by recycling and carpooling, but did you know that one of the mosteffective ways to improve energy management, increase energy efficiency and reducewaste starts with your computer? According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), computers account for arelatively large portion of our electrical consumption about 2% nationwide. Thegrowing use of computers has caused a dramatic increase in energy consumption, whichputs negative pressure on the environment. Each year consumers (and businesses)purchase more computers and put to them to use, but it s not just the sheer numberof computers that is driving energy consumption upward. The way that we usecomputers also adds to the increasing energy burden. By adopting conservation practices and changing the way you use your computer, youcan help make a difference in the environment and your own wallet. If you reready to take the green computing initiative, here are a few simple tips to get you started: Buy "Energy Star" compliant peripheralsBefore you buy, check with the manufacturer or on the Energy Star web site. Enable power management featuresThanks to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA), personal computer systemspurchased today can be easy on energy. These Energy Star computers and monitorscan be programmed to automatically power-down to a low power state when they arenot being used. These efficiency gains can be achieved without any sacrifice incomputing performance.The EPA has estimated that providing computers with sleep mode reduces theirenergy use by 60 to 70 percent and ultimately could save enough electricity eachyear to power Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, cut electric bills by $2 billion,and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of 5 million cars.Follow these simple steps to access computer and monitor power management featuresfor Windows. 1. First check to see that your monitor is Energy Star compliant (see above) 2. Open 'Display' in the Control Panel, go to the 'Settings' tab, click on 'AdvancedProperties' and choose the 'Monitor' tab3. Check 'Monitor is Energy Star compliant' box click 'OK'. The recommended settings are 20 minutes for monitor sleep and 30 minutes for systemsleep. Remember that to save energy with your monitor s built-in power managementsystem, your monitor must go to sleep (shut itself down). Turn off the screen saverIf screen saver images appear on your monitor for more than 5 minutes, you arewasting energy! Screen saver programs may save the phosphors in your monitor screen,but this is not really a concern with newer monitors, especially LCD screens. Andthey certainly don t save energy. A screen saver that displays moving images causes your monitor to consume as much aselectricity as it does when in active use. These screen saver programs also involvesystem interaction with your CPU that results in additional energy consumption. Ablank screen saver is slightly better but even that only reduces monitor energyconsumption by a few percent.When not in use, turn off the juiceResearch reveals that most personal desktop computers are not being used themajority of the time they are running and many personal computers nationwide areneedlessly left on continuously. Every time we leave computers or lights on we wasteelectricity. Burning fossil fuels generates most of our electricity and it alsoemits pollutants, sulfur, and carbon dioxide into the air. These emissions can causerespiratory disease, smog, acid rain and global climate change.Consider doing the following:o Turn off your computer and/or peripherals when they are not in use. Turning themon and off will not harm the equipment. o Don t run computers continuously unless they are in use continuously. o Turn off computers and peripherals at night.o Look for ways to reduce the amount of time your computer is on without adverselyaffecting your productivity. o Unless you require immediate access to e-mail or other Internet services, breakthe habit of turning on all your computer equipment as soon as you enter the officeeach day. o If practical, informally group your computer activities and try to do then duringone or two parts of the day, leaving the computer off at other times. o Avoid using the switch on a powerstrip to turn on all your equipment. o If you use a laser printer, don t turn your printer on until you are ready to print. o Turn off your entire computer system (CPU, monitor and printer) or at least yourmonitor and printer when if you are going to be away from the computer for a littlewhile. Take proper care of your laptop batteries and dispose of them carefullyFollow the guidelines in your laptop manual, such as removing the AC adapter whenfully charged, or totally discharging before recharging, to maximize the workinglife of a laptop battery. Many types of rechargeable batteries contain potentiallytoxic materials such as Cadmium, so dispose of them properly and carefully.

Don't throw your old computer awayGlobally over 35 million PC's are thrown away ever year - yet there are manycompanies now recycling or reconditioning components or whole computers. Don't throwit away. Your old computer might be worth something either to a dealer, a localschool or a charity.

About the AuthorVishal Dhar is CEO of iYogi, a next-generation computer support services company,headquartered in Gurgaon, India with offices in New York, NY. iYogi offerspersonalized computer support for small business and home office users. The company offers 24/7 phone and online assistance for technologies we use everyday and supports products from a wide range of vendors. Utilizing proprietarytechnology, iMantra, and superior team talent, iYogi delivers higher resolutionbenchmarks and service levels than competing support services. iYogi recentlylaunched a Green PC initiative, which is thefirst service in the independent computer support industry to offer customers a wayto save money, conserve energy and protect the environment by optimizing their PC sefficiency. For more information and a detailed list of supported technologies,visit: www.iyogi.net

Source: Express-Press-Release.com

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