Besides being a Microworks employee, I am also a student of environment science at the University of Guelph. I’ve learned there is no quick fix to climate change. Everyone has to help if we plan to solve the problem. And although it may seem insignificant, reducing energy consumption can really make a difference. Consider the fact that Ontario power generation still relies on coal burning power plants, one of which is the largest single source of air pollution in North America.1 Despite plans to have the plant shut down by 2008, it continues to supply Ontario businesses with electricity.
Think about how upgrading your network infrastructure, taking advantage of existing technology’s features, and enabling working-from-home can benefit your organization. Here a few simple, effective ways you can use computers to save power and money:
Update old PC’s and servers.
A single server can now perform the job of several older ones, which reduces the need for electricity or cooling and makes server rooms more efficient and cost-effective. Manufacturers are now being pressured to meet Energy Star compliance standards, which standardize and regulate power efficiency.
Energy Star 5.0, due to come out in July 2009, requires an average 85% (and minimum 82%) electrical efficiency from PC’s.2
Encourage virtual commuting.
Take advantage of technology like remote access and virtualized private networks (VPNs). Employees can be even more productive while working from home, despite many managers’ unwillingness to grant such trust. Less time is lost on travel or traffic hang-ups, while productivity and worker satisfaction can both increase.
Turn monitors off instead of using screen savers.
Screen savers use as much power as leaving a monitor powered on. All displays, CRT’s especially, consume the most power of computer systems. Be sure to turn monitors off after hours, or set them to switch off automatically.
The US wasted an estimated $1 billion in 2005 on electricity by monitors left on overnight.3
Use the sleep setting on your computer, or turn it off after use.
Most PC’s are left running on full power all the time. By setting a computer to automatically sleep after an hour of inactivity, it consumes an average 75% less power per year than one left running.
This computer is currently using 80W, while it consumes less than 10W in sleep mode (and about the same when switched off). 4
These are just a few of the many simple things you can do to increase your environmental responsibility. The benefits are clear, so what are you waiting for?
Martin Lougheed