Read an interesting news about how to be more environmentally friendly by activating the power management functions on our computer. It is said that it can save up to US$75 per year in your energy bill. Here you are:
1. Turning your computer off completely when you know you will not be using it for more than several hours, such as overnight.
2. Setting the power management functions on your computer to put both your monitor and computer (CPU, hard drive, etc.) into “sleep” mode after a certain amount of time of non-use. Set your monitor to go into standby mode first, followed by your computer.
Use the following guidelines to make sure your computer is properly sleeping:
1. Certain applications will run in the background and prevent your computer from going into sleep mode. Be sure to close these down completely.
2. If you use a virtual private network (VPN), disconnect it when you’re not actively using it.
3. Some applications which continually scan can prevent your computer from going into standby mode, such as Wi-Fi antennas & infrared ports. Anti-virus software can be set to scan more periodically yet still be safe.
4. Some Web sites will not allow your computer to enter into sleep mode because of active advertisements and banners. Close down all Web pages when you are not viewing them to allow your power management function to work properly.
5. If you have set a screensaver (like that fish tank) for your monitor, you may not realize that it is actually wasting energy by preventing your computer from going to sleep.
6. Unplug the peripherals when they are not charging or synchronizing as they also prevent the computer from going into standby or “sleep” mode.
More things you can do to help save energy in your computing use include:
1. Increase your memory (RAM) to reduce disk usage, which can be a power draw.
2. If you have a desktop computer, upgrade to an LCD flat panel monitor instead of a CRT monitor, which can account for half the energy use of a desktop computer.
3. Power supplies for your peripherals (such as your mobile phone or iPod) still draw power even if the peripheral is not plugged in. Switch them all off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
4. Shut off that printer. Printers also have a sleep mode that still consumes a significant amount of power.
5. Replace wireless mice and keyboards with wired mice. Wired mice and wired keyboards use relatively little energy and they avoid unnecessary wasting of batteries.
More information about offsetting your own carbon footprint :
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