DON'T FORGET TO TURN YOUR COMPUTER OFF!

[ARMS 0]

People who cannot be bothered to turn off their computers properly are costing both the environment and their own pockets dear, a study has concluded.

Computer magazine PC Pro measured the electricity consumed by PCs, printers and TVs.

 

It found many devices were extremely hungry when it comes to eating power.

 

But a few minor adjustments could save people hundreds of pounds.

 

Turn it off

 

A CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor left on during the day and in standby mode during the night costs an equivalent in electricity over five years as a brand new flat screen monitor, it found.

 

 

Even if you can't be bothered to save the planet, at least save yourself a few bob

Nick Ross, PC Pro Magazine 

 

For example, a Taxan CRT monitor uses 135 Watts(W) when working and 4W in standby and will cost £150 in electricity over five years.

Bad practice in UK offices means many employees do not bother turning their computer off at all when they leave in the evening.

 

"If the screensaver is running then the monitor isn't in standby mode and it can be drawing over 100W," said PC Pro's deputy lab editor Nick Ross.

 

This could add up to a substantial sum when multiplied by the number of monitors in an office building.

 

"It would be worth many companies actually paying an employee extra to go round turning things off at the end of the day," he said.

 

Computers even consume electricity when they have been turned off, although a change to the settings or investing in a special power strip can cut off the entire electricity supply to the computer and its peripherals.

 

Saving cash

 

"Most people could easily save £100 a year and a small-to-medium sized company should easily cut £5,000 off its bills just by following our advice," said Mr Ross.

 

The picture is slightly better when it comes to TVs.

 

While older models can suck up 13W in standby mode, newer ones were far more environmentally friendly.

 

The Sony Wega widescreen and Philips flat screen TV used less than 1W when in standby, the results showed.

 

To highlight the issue of wasted electricity, PC Pro has launched a Switch IT Off campaign, designed to make users and manufacturers more aware of the true cost of owning electronics.

 

"Even if you can't be bothered to save the planet, at least save yourself a few bob," said Mr Ross.

 

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/4393453.stm

 

Published: 2005/03/30 11:18:39 GMT

 

© BBC MMV

Good thing i saw this, i'm always falling asleep with it on! :P

[KIMIMELA 1]

my brother puts on msn, goes out all day then comes back to it after, what?, 5-6 hours!!!

[Capt_Picard 0]

In my computer class we only turn off the computers, not the monitors... and thats about 30 computers... yikes tahts a lot.

[KIMIMELA 1]

at college the computers are left on all day and the last class/ user turns it off at the end of the day. they all run on one server so once that has turned off the monitors do.

[Matt 0]

At college the computers are on from 08:00 to 22:00, but they're used constantly so they can't really be turned off.

[KIMIMELA 1]

:sleepy:

[sea trooper 0]

Yeah, I do need to save a few hundred pounds when it comes to my electric bill.

[Odie 0]

I turn my computer, monitor, and screen off at nights at home. When I have duty they are not on. The only time that they will be on is if there is down load that would take awhile to do. That is the only time the computer is on at nights.

[Kor37 9]

Some computer geek once told me never to turn my computer off. He said that all of the things that go on inside the computer when starting it up will cause it to fail more quickly. Now I don't know WHAT to do!

[ARMS 0]

Some computer geek once told me never to turn my computer off. He said that all of the things that go on inside the computer when starting it up will cause it to fail more quickly. Now I don't know WHAT to do!

316598[/snapback]

 

I've never heard of that before? :P

[Odie 0]

Some computer geek once told me never to turn my computer off. He said that all of the things that go on inside the computer when starting it up will cause it to fail more quickly. Now I don't know WHAT to do!

316598[/snapback]

 

I've never heard of that before? :P

316618[/snapback]

 

I have, but it does help if you reboot the computer everyonce in awhile. It won't cause the computer to fail more.

[Kor37 9]

So you advocate leaving it on most of the time?

[LordOfTheBorg 1]

Some computer geek once told me never to turn my computer off. He said that all of the things that go on inside the computer when starting it up will cause it to fail more quickly. Now I don't know WHAT to do!

316598[/snapback]

 

 

Turn it off. Nothing will be harmed. And, when starting it up, you know what happens? The motherboard connects with the CD-rom/DVD-rom, it connects to the Hard drive and detects the OS, then it starts up. There is nothing in that entire process that actually has any serious effect on your computer failing.

 

If you want to know the entire thing, read this:

The Booting Process