When it comes to saving energy, this has got to be one of the easiest, no-brainers out there. There’s nothing to buy, no contractor to hire, no climbing up on the roof or crawling around in the attic. You don’t have to take shorter showers or change your diet – heck, you don’t even have to wear a sweater.
Just turn off the computer when you leave work on Friday.
Actually, turning off non-essential computers, monitors, fax machines and peripherals to save energy is a good idea anytime, but tomorrow, businesses, agencies and individuals throughout the US will be doing it as part of the third annual Power IT Down day — an effort to draw attention to how much energy we waste each weekend.
Power IT Down Day was intended to harness the power of the individual in helping government offices and contractors become more energy efficient. But why stop there? Anyone who works in an office anywhere in the world can use this as an opportunity to talk with IT managers and encourage coworkers to take this simple step.
The first two Power IT Down Day events are good examples of what can be accomplished by the individual. Last year, about 5,600 individuals pledged to power down their IT equipment, leading to a savings of more than 73,000 kilowatt hours — enough to power 77 American homes for a month.
Individuals can sign up for the event at the new Power IT Down website, which also provides green IT resources and information. Registrants have the option to invite friends to participate in this year’s Power IT Down Day activities.
The Power IT Down Day sponsors will again make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project to show what can be accomplished with the money saved from Power IT Down Day activities. In 2009, the Wounded Warrior Project received $45,000 from Power IT Down Day sponsors.
The downside? You’ll have to wait a few minutes on Monday morning while your computer boots up. But if your Monday mornings are anything like ours, those first few minutes aren’t very productive anyway.
