We all know that turning electronics off saves energy and money. Still, there is some confusion about what’s better: powering down your computer and all personal equipment when you leave the office daily, or leaving electronics in sleep or hibernate mode. The long and the short of it is: power down. According to the eco powers that be, including Energy Star, this will save the most energy as well as cash. If you work at a big corporation, the impact can be tremendous. How much saved depends on the computers and equipment being turned off.
Keep in mind that just because you turn your equipment off doesn’t mean zero energy is being used. Printers, docking stations, cell phone chargers, and more all use energy even after they’re turned off. This is called their phantom draw. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75 percent of electricity used for home electronics is consumed while these devices are turned off. This statistic holds true for offices, too.
Ask office management to supply everyone with power strips to reduce the use of phantom energy. Some of these have digital timers on them--excellent for forgetful employees. Put a surge protector in the office kitchen for the coffee machine and microwave; it all adds up.
Places signs up around the office reminding everyone to power down and turn off power strips at the end of their day.
Plug electronics that might need to stay on (fax machines, cable modems) in a separate power strip or outlet.
