Green Machines

Most Americans have at least one computer in their home and many in their workplace. All these machines run off electricity (or batteries, which are charged with electricity) and use other resources as well. So with all those millions of computers humming along each day, how can we still use them and live a greener lifestyle? Here are a few ideas for us all to consider:

1) Use the "sleep" setting or better yet, turn your computer off at night. Sure it takes a little time to fire up in the morning and download the latest updates, but a few minutes while you get your morning coffee saves hours of wasted electricity!

2) During the day, use the power save feature for your monitor and CPU. If you leave the room for half an hour, have the computer hibernate and your monitor shut itself off. When you return to your desk, just tap a couple buttons and, voila!...you're up and running again without a complete restart.

3) Think again before printing and when you do, print smart! Do you REALLY need to print all those emails and memos, or can you save them in electronic folders you can easily access in the future? When you do print, always print double-sided and use the fast or draft setting. Grayscale printing also saves expensive colored ink.

4) Consider replacing the old energy-hog. Modern CPUs and monitors use much less energy than ones produced even just a few years ago. If you've been debating about that upgrade, here's another good reason to go for it!

5) Laptops use much less energy than

desktop models. When you replace your computer, perhaps a laptop will meet your future needs. It's portable, rechargeable and uses much less energy - even up to 80%! For more information, check out this link to the Energy Star website.

6) When you do replace the old computer, be sure to recycle it properly, not just throw it in the trash. Many computer companies (such as Dell and HP) offer recycling programs, as do electronics retail locations, such as Best Buy.