Privacy, Security & Virus Information

Green computing - top 10 tips

1. If you’re not using it switch it off!

This covers computers and all peripherals like printers, scanners, external hard drives and routers. Leaving electrical equipment on standby often consumes as much electricity as when they are in use.

2. Don’t mix and match your equipment

Buying same brand computers or same-brand printers means you can cannibalise parts if one breaks down and makes technical problems across the system easier to fix

3. Don’t buy recycled toner

Recycling or refilling toner cartridges sounds green but often works out less environmentally friendly or cheap.
Recycled toner cartridges often leak, and some reports suggest the toner powder may induce cancer. The risk is high if you are breathing in air near a printer with a leaking cartridge.
Cartridges from the printer maker may cost more, but are less likely to leak leading to less maintenance cleaning your equipment and less exposure to potentially harmful toner powder.

4. Don’t trash if they crash

If you only use your computer for email, surfing the net or low-memory intensive business applications, then try upgrading your RAM memory before throwing the machine out.
Often, older machines just need extra RAM chips that are relatively inexpensive when compared to replacing a computer.

5. Only replace the bits you need

If you do have to replace a computer, keep the old monitor, keyboard and mouse if they are working – buying a complete computer when you have perfectly serviceable other parts is a waste of money and resources.

6. Download software

Instead of buying software on disks in plastic packaging, try downloading from the web.
This saves the materials, packaging, manufacturing and transport costs of a tangible copy and electronic downloads are often cheaper than their counterparts sold in the shops.

7. Home office working

With fast broadband connections and sophisticated virtual private networks (VPNs), more people can work from home rather than going in to the office. File sharing over the internet is easy, telephone calls are easily diverted and often the only reason for going to a work place is for meetings.
Teleconferencing software can connect workers from all over the world in different time zones.
Home working has a huge environmental payback in saving fuel and cutting emissions as well as cost benefits for individuals and organisations.

8. Switch on your standby settings

Check your monitor configuration for Energy Star compliance. Setting a standby mode can cut your monitor’s energy consumption by up to 90%.

9. Recycle old computers

Depending where you live, local authorities and charities operate computer-recycling schemes to remove harmful components from landfill if the machine has stopped working or to pass them on to third world countries for schools and universities.

10. If you don’t need it, don’t buy it

Keep track of all those cables, chargers and other bits that you don’t use that often. Too many people have to go out and buy them again because they can’t remember where a less regularly used component is stored.

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