Green Sources

Climate Savers Computing Initiative

The average desktop PC wastes nearly half the power delivered to it as heat – which translates to higher energy bills and unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. To help address the issue of computer energy waste, leading technology firms, energy companies and NGOs came together in 2007 to form the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, a non-profit organization working to cut computer power consumption in half.

To reduce the energy consumption of computers, the Climate Savers Computing Initiative recommends that you choose an energy-efficient computer next time you're in the market for a new PC, and turn on power saving features on any computers you use today. By setting your computer to automatically go to “sleep” when it’s not in use, you can save nearly half a ton of CO2 and over $70 a year in energy costs.

Using energy-efficient computers and computer power management are smart ways to save money and fight climate change. Together, we can cut CO2 from computer use by 54 million tons per year. That's the equivalent of taking 11 million cars off the road!

>> Learn how to use power management

>> Find an energy-efficient computer

>> Tell a friend about the Initiative

GreenPrint

GreenPrint is a simple piece of software which eliminates waste associated with printing (most notably that last page with just the URL, banner ad, or legal jargon) saving time, toner, and money while also saving trees, reducing greenhouse gasses, and decreasing waste. If all new computers sold in 2006 used GreenPrint over 36 million trees would be saved, CO2 emissions would be reduced by over 117 million tons – that's the equivalent of removing 23 million cars from the road for an entire year! We estimate that GreenPrint would save the average Fortune 500 company $2 million and 4,000 trees annually. 

Shortly after our launch in November 2006, we received a very positive review in The Wall Street Journal by Walt Mossberg as well as segments on CNBC and CNN (links below).  GreenPrint has also been endorsed by American Forests, The National Arbor Day Foundation and a number of other conservation organizations.

>> Walt Mossberg’s Column in The Wall Street Journal

>> GreenPrint on CNN

>> Our website

>> Our blog (including a fun video)

>> Tutorial of the software (takes a minute to load)

Verdiem Corporation

PCs and monitors are the single largest contributor to IT device-related carbon emissions in the workplace. Verdiem empowers companies worldwide to dramatically reduce their carbon footprint and their IT energy bill with SURVEYOR, a single, simple PC power management solution that provides measurable energy and cost savings through central control of PC and monitor power settings – including comprehensive reporting and robust, customizable solutions for companies big and small.

The software works by intelligently placing PCs into lower, energy saving power states when not in use. As a result, SURVEYOR reduces PC energy consumption by up to 60%, saving as much as $60 per PC annually.

Based in Seattle, Verdiem customers have thus far cut their carbon footprint by more than 498,000 tons of carbon emissions while saving more than $57 million dollars on their energy bills, which is equivalent to taking more than 62,000 cars off the road.

>> Explore Verdiem

>> Video: Learn more about eliminating IT energy waste

>> Free Green IT Kit

>> The Power Alley Blog

EPEAT

EPEAT is a system used to help purchasers evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on a wide array of environmental attributes. EPEAT also provides manufacturers with a clear and consistent set of performance criteria for the design of ‘greener’ products.

We were developed through a comprehensive, multi-year, stakeholder process underwritten by the US EPA that included environmental advocates, manufacturers, public and private purchasers, electronics recyclers, and technology researchers.

EPEAT’s environmental benefits are significant -- compared to conventional products, the over 109 million EPEAT qualified products sold worldwide in 2007 will:

• Reduce electricity use over their lifetime by 42.2 billion kWh – enough to power 3.7 million US homes for a year

• Reduce consumption of primary materials by 75.5 million metric tons

• Eliminate use of enough mercury to fill 482,381 fever thermometers

• Eliminate emissions of 3.31 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE) of greenhouse gases – like taking 2.6 million US cars off the road for a year

EPEAT products are sold by the same manufacturers and at the same prices as comparable business computers.

>> EPEAT Criteria

>> Participating Manufacturers

>> Purchasers/Contracts Citing EPEAT

>> Search EPEAT’s Product Registry