There are many misconceptions floating around about efficient computer use, and most people are confused about how to green their PCs. But after some in-depth probing on the World Wide Web, I’ve developed a list of solutions to aid PC owners in their quest for environmentally friendly personal computer usage.

1. Don’t print straight from websites!

Generally when you print from an internet site, you end up with pages of pictures and advertisements from the site that you didn’t really need. Next time when you print form the web, try copying just the text or information you need into a Word document. Most anything on a web page can be displayed in a word document, and from there you can easily to delete the pictures and ads that you don’t want to print. This saves paper and ink.

2. Screensavers do not save power!

I’m going to come clean about up a common old wives tale concerning screensavers: they do NOTHING. They make pretty designs on your screen, but that’s about it. So if you don’t love your screensaver, go into the control panel and disenable it. And while you’re there, fix your appearance settings so that your monitor switches off after extended periods of non-usage. Unlike screensavers, this will help lower the carbon footprint of your computer.

3. Shut it down!

Too many computer owners believe that leaving the PC on constantly is more energy efficient than powering it down when they’re done using it. While powering off and on the computer every 10 minutes is rather wasteful energy wise, research finds that leaving the PC on for stretches of inactivity (like while you’re out of the house or overnight) wastes much more energy. So if you’re not going to use your computer a while, power it down. And I don’t mean a simple power down. Hit the power switch, turn off the monitor, speakers, and even the printer. These waste power and there’s really no point to leaving them on while your personal computer is off.

For more going green tips, please check out Art Daily’s Green Wise category for daily updates.

Thanks for reading, and remember to always buy handmade!

Sara

www.artfire.com