| Per Academic Year |
| 1 computer on 24/7 (including screen savers) |
|
|
|
$59.14 |
| 1 computer on 16 hours per day |
|
|
|
$39.43 |
| 1 computer on 8 hours/day, plus 8 hours in sleep mode |
|
|
|
$29.56 |
| 1 computer on 8 hours per day |
|
|
|
$19.71 |
| What does this mean for the campus? |
| Student Computer total |
|
|
|
2238 |
| 2238 computers on 24/7 (including screen savers) |
|
|
|
$132,355 |
| 2238 computers on 16 hours per day |
|
|
|
$88,244 |
| 2238 computers on 8 hours per day, 8 hours in sleep mode |
|
|
|
$66,155 |
| 2238 computers on 8 hours per day |
|
|
|
$44,110 |
| Savings come from having computers turned off or powered down whenever possible |
| Faculty/Staff/Lab computers |
|
|
|
1450 |
| 1450 computers on 24/7 (including screen savers) |
|
|
|
$85,753 |
| 1450 computers on 16 hours per day |
|
|
|
$57,173 |
| 1450 computers on 8 hours per day, 8 hours in sleep mode |
|
|
|
$42,862 |
| 1450 computers on 8 hours per day |
|
|
|
$28,579 |
Plus, computers generate heat and require additional cooling which adds to energy costs.
Enabling Power Management Features
Power management, when enabled, allows computer monitors to go into a low-power sleep mode during periods of inactivity. Then, instead of paying utility bills for computer monitors that are kept on all day and night, we pay only for the time that the computers are in use. For large organizations like ours, this single step leads to annual savings of thousands of kilowatt-hours and dollars. A typical college or university, for example, can expect to save 200,000 kilowatt-hours per year, or about $20,000 in energy bills, for every 1,000 monitors.
Other savings include lowered cooling costs and longer lives for the equipment.
EPA Energy Star Computers and monitors can be programmed to automatically power down to a low power mode when they are not being used.
- For Windows 98, 2000 and XP
- Click "start" at the bottom left side of your screen
- Click on "settings" - "control panel"
- Open "display" and click on "screen saver"
- Click on "power"
- Under "Power Schemes", use the drop down arrow to find "home/office desk"
- Select the times - choose a short duration (e.g. 15 minutes), so that the monitor sleeps when you step away from the computer for short times, or powers down when you are gone for longer times.
- Click on "Apply"
- Click on "OK"
- Congratulations! You are now saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions!
- Macintosh Users
- Select the Apple Menu
- Go to Control Panels
- Click on Energy Saver
- This will also bring up a dialog box for setting sleep times for the entire system, the monitor or the hard disk
- Laptop owners should also review "power schemes" within your control panel to set settings for "stand by" and "hibernation". This will help extend your battery life.
To save energy with your monitors' built-in power management system, your monitor must go blank. If screen saver images appear on your monitor for more than 5 minutes, you are wasting energy!
About Screen Savers
"Screen savers" were originally designed to save the phosphors in the monitor screen from "burning" an image onto the screen, but they do not save energy. A screen saver that displays moving images consumes as much electricity as it does when in active use. A blank screen saver is slightly better, but even that only reduces monitor energy consumption by a few percent.
Use your Energy Star compliance features. The equipment is designed to be efficient without any effort from you. It's easy and it makes a difference.
How much energy does our computer system use?
top
Computers should not be thrown in the trash. KSC users have several options for disposal of their computer equipment.
Monitors and Hard Drives contain lead, cadmium, nickel, gold and other heavy metals. Your options include:
CD's, DVD's, floppy disks are all recyclable. Please put in an envelope and mail to R.O.C.K.S. at MS2502
Ink Jet cartridges are all recyclable. Free mail-in bags are available at Computer Connections in the Student Center,
near the bursars office in Elliot Hall and other convenient locations on campus.
You can also get bags from R.O.C.K.S. Call 358-2567 and leave a name and mail stop. We'll send you some.
The Green Guide
