Tip of the Week: Green Computing
There are several simple changes environmentally conscious home computer users can make to help reduce energy consumption and the impact of computing on the earth. Simple changes in usage habits and software settings can reap moderate returns.
The simplest action a user can take to cut down on energy consumption is to turn off computers and peripherals when not in use. Modern computer equipment is not adversely affected by frequent on/off cycles. If boot time is an issue, hibernating instead of a full shut down may save the necessary time. Shutting down a computer periodically may also free memory resulting in faster performance.
Another easy way to save energy is to use the energy saving options built-in to the operating system. Using Mac OS the user can find “Energy Saver” in the System Preferences. Windows users can find similar options in “Power Options” in the Control Panel. Both systems provide options for deactivating the monitor and hard drive when idle. These should be used and short times can be set for both. System standby times will depend more on usage. If a chat application is regularly used, for example, standby would not be a good idea since new messages would not be received, but if the computer is truly idle then setting a short standby time can save significant energy. Windows also offers the hibernate function which is similar to standby but allows the computer to be completely powered down. As mentioned earlier, this is a good option for users not wishing to completely shutdown their computer.
Using these simple steps, users will be able to reduce their energy consumption with little inconvenience.