Energy Saving and Computers

It's difficult to imagine a world without computers, laptops, the internet and other technology - and it's even harder to think of computers in an energy saving, green context. Computers, just like other energy zapping commodities have, in some environmentalists' eyes, come to represent yet another product that's ultimately damaging the environment.

Love them or hate them, computers are here to stay. And just as PCs, laptops and broadband internet have revolutionised how we communicate, work and live our everyday lives, so too has computer technology had a significant impact of its own to the energy saving and climate change debates.

Here we look at the impact of computers on green issues and climate change - plus give you some energy saving tips on how to get the most out of your computer and still be a friend to the environment.

Computers Educate on Green Matters

The Internet has opened up how people use and take in information. With statistics and content at your fingertips, it's the ultimate research tool - and that includes green issues. Where would you have gone in the days of old to work out your carbon footprint, or find out more about the Stern Report? Now, with the information before us, ignorance is no excuse when it comes to saving energy and climate change. Websites such as the Energy Saving Trust and Direct Gov - and of course EnergySavingSecrets - offer you tips, ideas and information on lowering your carbon footprint and making positive green changes to your lifestyle.

Computers Join Up Worldwide Environmental and Climate Change Campaigns

Computers also help to unite people in the fight against climate change. Now it's not just traditional environmentalists getting involved in important green issues and activism - those people who always wanted to do their bit, but never quite knew how to do it are offered many more green possibilities online. It could be as small as signing an online government petition, or making a pledge to cut your carbon emissions and save energy at home.

Plus there's the option of using the Internet to reuse and recycle your unwanted items. Instead of throwing something out and therefore sending more waste straight to landfill, computers offer an alternative route to be your would-be rubbish which could even make you money. The growth of sites such as eBay, Craigslist, Gumtree and Freecycle give you a platform to offer things you no longer want to someone else who does - making smarter use out of vital resources.

Energy Saving Tips For Computers

From laptops to PCs to Macs, running a computer means extra energy consumption at home or work. But there are measures we can take to minimise the amount of energy our computers use. Here are some energy saving computer tips:

• Unplug: always ensure you properly unplug your computer from the mains when you're not using it
• Shut down: when turning off your computer, select shut down rather than log off, which will still keep your PC running
• Idle time: if you're going to be away from your desk, change your idle settings so your PC hibernates (and therefore uses less energy) even after short durations of non-activity
• Turn off: even better, if you're not going to be using your PC for a while, turn it off to save energy
• Blackle, don't Google: Blackle is an energy saving version of Google, because of its black background