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Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Green Your PC
Test your PC energy consumption knowledge with the Sierra Club's How Green is my PC? quiz. Go do it now.
A few tips to save energy and still enjoy your PC:
- Let your screen go black when your PC is idle. Those pretty pictures on your screen saver use more energy.
- Shut down your PC when not in use. Starting a PC uses about the same power needed to run it for about 3 minutes. If you're going away for a while, shut the PC down.
- Wait to replace your PC. Most of the energy consumed by a PC is used in making it. Additionally, manufacturing a PC requires toxic materials that weigh more than the computer.
- When you do replace your computer, recycle the old one. Check with your local city/municipal offices, Earth911.org (use search box at top), or myGreenElectronics to find a recycler. Many computer manufacturers will take your old PC to recycle when you buy a new one.
- Make your next computer a laptop instead of a desktop PC. The average laptop uses 5 times less energy than a desktop. If you really need a desktop PC, consider a small form-factor PC which takes less space and use less power.
