Here are few tips for computer users to make their computing environment green :
Printers
Only buy colour printers if you really need them, and try to avoid big fancy printers with lots of features, as these can use much more electricity than simple models, and can be expensive to fix if they go wrong. Only print off documents when absolutely necessary, and use recycled printer paper. You can buy recycled toner, but this is not always as eco-friendly and cheap as you might think, and can be very inferior to new cartridges (often leaking releasing the toxic ink chemicals), so really it makes sense to buy a good quality toner cartridge and use the printer less often.
Update RAM
RAM speed is what makes you computer perform quickly, and older computers that are very slow can often be revitalised by simply upgrading the RAM. This means you can use your old unit for longer, saving you from
having to throw away something that still works, and will also mean you can get things done quicker, so you spend less time at the computer and save electricity.
Monitors
If you have a small monitor (that still works) and are thinking of upgrading to a larger screen, then consider using the F11 key first, which will give you a full screen view, (minus task and tool bars). This means that you will have a
larger view of what you are working on (hit F11 again to return to normal). Also if you are working in Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint you can magnify the page view to make words and numbers larger and easier to see.
Always switch your computer off when you have finished, and avoid leaving on ‘sleep’ or ‘standby’ to save electricity.
Related posts:
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.
