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Turn OFF your computer at night to save energy. This might seem like a no-brainer, but I admit that even I wasn’t doing this until just a few months ago. I figured once the computer went into sleep mode, it wasn’t using much energy. I was wrong.
By turning off your computer instead of leaving it in sleep mode, you can save 40 watt-hours per day. That adds up to 4 cents a day, or $14 per year. This will prevent carbon dioxide emissions from heating up the atmosphere (AKA global warming).
Even better than that is to turn off the power strip when nothing is in use because even when off, many electronic devices still draw electricity.
So power down your work computer before you leave your job for the day, especially before the weekend, and your home computer before you go to bed at night.
Jody heard this tip along with some similar statistics on NPR the other day. We couldn’t find a direct quote, but we did find the information above on 50 Ways to Go Green, which is a pretty awesome list by the way.
Have any green tips you’ve recently learned? Please email them to me and I may include your tip with a link to your site or blog in a future post. :)
Stumble it!
Green Tip of the Week #19 - Power it down says:
[…] Mackenzie wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptJody heard this tip along with some similar statistics on NPR the other day. We couldn’t find a direct quote, but we did find the information above on 50 Ways to Go Green, which is a pretty awesome list by the way. … […]
April 26th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
SJSFalter says:
This is a great tip. I try to remember to turn off my PC before retiring at night but my husband is a completely different story. I’m forwarding this tip to him. Thanks.
April 27th, 2008 at 12:27 am
chelle says:
My Apple does a power saving, yet instant back up again sleep. It rocks :) Great tip for those power crazy pc’s though :P
April 27th, 2008 at 4:56 am
Half Pint Pixie says:
I must admit my mac is on from dawn to dusk, but I always give it a break at night. For me it’s a throwback to the old days of pc’s where if you left them on too long they’d get sluggish and clumsy and crash just before you saved your really important university thesis :) And I don’t like any electronics being left on overnight at all.
I do remember years ago working in an office where all the monitors were left on overnight with screensavers on, what a waste of electricity (and surely a fire hazard?)
April 27th, 2008 at 5:05 am
Adventures In Babywearing says:
Such a good reminder!!!
Steph
April 27th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Darla says:
We power it down AND take it out of the bedroom. I sleep better - it’s the craziest thing.
If I don’t sleep good, I wake up in the morning and see that stupid puter. There’s something about it….
April 27th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Sherie says:
I know this sort-of goes against the green…but, you could also leave the computer on and donate the idle time to charity (cure disease, study global warming - ironic, I know - etc.). Here’s the link:
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/
April 27th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Alicia says:
Great reminder! I work at a large university hospital and am disappointed to see the amount of energy that is wasted on a daily basis. I am espically annoyed with the computers that are left on after people have left their desks. What purpose does it serve? I have decided I am going to pass out postcard-type reminders to shut your workspace down when you’re down for the evening!
April 27th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Amy says:
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!!
April 27th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Holly says:
I am HORRIBLE at turning my computer off before I go to sleep. I don’t sleep much per night so whenever I go to sleep it’s only for a few hours and I’m so used to keeping my computer on all the time where it doesn’t even cross my mind to turn it off. I know, it’s horrible. I’m going to make a little note for myself on a Post-It that says “I’m tired too, turn me off.”
April 29th, 2008 at 2:53 am