Green Computing

April 12, 2011

Fact or Fiction?

• Using a screen saver saves my monitor and/or energy.

• Turning my computer off and on reduces the life of the hard drive.

• I can use blank sides of paper to print on for a draft copy.

Green Computing?

“Green computing is theenvironmentally responsibleuse of computers and relatedresources.”

Source: http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid80_gci1246959,00.html

How Much Energy Does Your Computer System Use?

• 65 - 250 watts of electrical power

• 150 watts for CRT vs. 50 watts for an LCD display

• Laptop - 15 to 45 watts

• Laser printer - 100 watts or more when printing; much less if idling in a “sleep mode”

• Ink jet printers use as little as 12 watts while printing and 5 watts while idling

http://ecenter.colorado.edu/energy/projects/green_computing.htmlhttp://www.wisegeek.com/how-much-electricity-does-a-computer-use.htm

How Much Can You Save?

• Having a computer on 40 hours per week instead of all the time, uses $40 less annually in energy costs.

• Assumes 85 watts computer and $0.083/kWh

• http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.pr_power_mgt_users

• http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html

15%…Worldwide Percentage of money spent on powering your computer dedicated to computing; the rest of the money ($250 billion) is spent on energy wasted in idling.

Source: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/home-electronics/home-electronics-statistics.html

Energy Efficient Computing

• When not in use, turn off the juice

Switch Off the Strip

Energy Efficient Computing

• Screen savers save no energy and do not save screens

Energy Efficient Computing

• Screen savers save no energy but Power Schemes do

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.pr_power_mgt_users

In Windows 7, search for “Choose Power Plan” and “Edit Power Plan”

Old Computers

• Repurpose, Reuse or Donate

• Recycle– There may be a charge– Special days during the year– Households vs. companies– Sample: Best Buy

• Websites– M

ichigan’s Electronic Waste Takeback Program

• Example company: GEEP

Computer Recycling Video

• Recycling video• Things to look out for

– Where are they taking your equipment?

– What are they doing with your equipment?

Reduce Paper Waste

Before You Print…

• Do you really need to print?

• Did you proofread your document?

• Did you print preview to ensure proper formatting?

• Do you need all the pages of the document printed?

Reduce Paper Waste

• Print as little as possible• Don’t printout emails• Try to email documents instead of

faxing• Smaller font sizes and margins on

large documents can save a good deal of paper

• Try circulating items instead of copying

• Use double-sided printing and copying

• Reuse paper only printed on once

Reduce Paper Waste

• Use Review features within Microsoft Word such as Track Changes, Comments, and Ink—no need to print to edit documents

• Be careful where you print• Copy the minimum that you

need• Teach students these lessons• Accept work electronically

Other Waste Reducing Steps

• Don’t print in color if you don’t need to

• Make laser prints over inkjet prints

• Make multiple copies on copiers

• Use 100% post consumer recycled paper

Don’t Make PhotocopiesDon’t Make Photocopies

• Scan it– You can store it digitally

• It’s already digital?– Email it

• Don’t want people to change it?– Turn it into a PDF

Going Paperless for Earth Day

• Pledge to refrain from using any paper or accepting any work on paper this Earth Day

http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/

Other Green Computing Practices

• Recycling– Recycle batteries, ink

cartridges and print toner

Before You Buy

• Can you upgrade instead?

• Buy only “Energy Star” computers, monitors and printers

• Buy laptops not desktops• Buy ink jet printers, not

laser printers for home use

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics/how-the-companies-line-up

IT’S NOT JUST COMPUTERS

Green Your Electronics

• Tree Hugger Info

Digital Cameras & Rechargeable Batteries

http://www.steves-digicams.com/digi_accessories.html

Cell Phones

• Never throw a cell phone in the garbage• Recycle it!• You can get money for it.• www.cellforcash.com

Lessen Your Impact

• Offset Your Carbon Footprint– Carbonfund.org– Carbonneutral.com

• www.ecobusinesslinks.com/carbon_offset_wind_credits_carbon_reduction.htm

Green Computing Pledge

• I will…

tool4learning.com/gc

Acts of Green

http://act.earthday.org/

Some “Recycling” Videos

• Hard drives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQYPCPB1g3o

• Computer parts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1_uvM-5xKs&feature=user

• A car! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZDngpTmpzQ&feature=user

Green Computing Resources

• http://ecenter.colorado.edu/energy/projects/green_computing.html

• http://www.energymanagement.umich.edu/utilities/energy_management/computing/

• http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/greenpc• http://www.environment.columbia.edu/

docs-wycd/green_guide/Facts.html • http://wiki.williams.edu/display/docs/

Green+Computing • http://www.uoregon.edu/~recycle/

Conservation_computing_text.htm • http://www.ecofoot.msu.edu/

documents/green.computing.guide.pdf