Sweet Dreams - sleeping computers

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 10:48:21 -0700

Myths abound in the world of office technology: how turning computers on and off shortens their life, how screensavers can save the world, the photographic limits of a copy machine, and how IT department performance is linked to vending machine sales of Jolt.

However, the reality is that a few easy steps can set up the automatic power savings options on your computer. You have the power to be energy efficient.

Forget the rules of thumb

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:13:50 -0700

Whether you're a truck driver, office worker, janitor, daycare provider, teacher, carpenter, CEO, farmer, engineer or concerned parent, you do have the power to help solve the climate crisis through making changes in your job and at your workplace.

Finding the savings takes a little creativity and true, American out-of-the-box thinking and innovation, but the rewards are huge -- both the impact on the climate and the sense of accomplishment you'll have.

So, what does a Climate P.I. do to hunt down energy savings and climate-friendly solutions?

Phone it In

emily — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 17:49:40 -0700

Air travel has a significant impact on the climate -- it's 5-10% of our contributions to global warming pollutants. In addition, traveling for business can be one of the great (mis)adventures in life: getting to the airport, getting through security, waiting for a delayed plane, sitting in a down-sized seat without legroom, circling your destination, waiting for luggage, filing a report when it doesn't turn up, traffic from the airport, a lost reservation at the hotel, a noisy air conditioner next to your room, a stale breakfast, and then a bleary-eyed workday.

Standby your...office

emily — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:14:58 -0700

Save energy and money by using the most efficient office equipment and taking advantage of the off switch. Office equipment is rapidly evolving and proliferating. It's also the fastest-growing user of electricity in commercial buildings in America. The Department of Energy calculates office equipment in homes and businesses costs $1.8 billion each year to power up and it's responsible for consuming 7% of all commercial-sector power.

Set it in motion - sensors save

emily — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:51:53 -0700

Lights out. It's a simple directive, but hard to follow in some environments, particularly in office buildings where the switches can be inconveniently located or you think somebody else might be coming any minute now. But in commercial buildings lighting accounts for about 29% of electrical energy use, a huge emitter of greenhouse gases. Motion and occupancy sensors can cut this use by about a third to almost half, depending on office rhythms.