Web design & internet marketing SCOTLAND - Turn off your screen saver

What if there was something you could do, right now, in 60 seconds, that could achieve a significant reduction in global emissions? Would you do it? Could you be bothered? What if it was as simple as switching OFF your screen saver?

(First Published on webbactivemedia.net - 21/5/2005)

It is time we took global warming seriously. (Why...) The Carbon Saver initiative demonstrates exactly how we, as the online community can do a little, to change a lot.

TRY THE CARBON SAVER CALCULATOR NOW!

We can leave the debate over the specifics of global warming and it's effects on the world's landscape for another time. It is enough to understand that as a group of people we need to find ways to consume less carbon, and so reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We can plant trees (carbon sequestration - What is this?) or consume less fossil fuels - gas, oil, wood and less electricity derived from these sources.

The Carbon Saver initiate is simple. It enables you to make a small saving in energy use, yet multiply this saving by a huge amount to make a real contribution. At the same time, raising awareness that global warming needs to be more of an individual preoccupation than it is right now.

The Carbon Saver initiative:

Turn off your screen saver. Instead adopt a "Carbon Saver" - allow your screen to power down AND your PC to go onto Standby mode rather than displaying flying windows, or a rude message! Will using more aggressive power saving settings make a difference? How do I do it? Is it harmful to the PC?

Share this advice with others to multiply the benefit, raise awareness and stimulate debate about global warming. Send this page to others now.

It's that simple - save a little, change a lot. Of course, I have made many assumptions here, and I welcome debate on the issue. Please feel free to post your thoughts to the Carbon Saver forum.

Will this make a difference?

There are 575 million computers in the world today. (Says who?) Each of these has an approximate average power consumption of 200W when in use. (Says who?)

CLICK HERE TO DO THE MATHS WITH THE CARBON CALCULATOR!

Of course there are many assumptions in the numbers here. The main one is that your PC is currently not using its power saving capabilities at all - but in my experience this is not far from the truth, as screen savers, old drivers, and inefficient settings prevent power saving doing its job. There are a number of assumptions on the way electricity is generated in your area also. These number are NOT 100% accurate, but a guide to possible savings. The savings available are not the most important issue - awareness is.

"Did you know that if Microsoft started shipping Windows with the screensaver turned off, we would save 2375000000 kilowatt/hours of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1616379 tonnes each year!”

How do I do it?

Check Power Management options in your operating system. In Windows, right click a blank area of the desk top, select Properties, then the Screen Saver tab. Select <None> for no screen saver. Then click the Power button, to reduce the time your computer goes into Standby to the time your screen saver used to come on.

Click here for relevant resources from Google

Is it harmful to my PC to not use a screen saver - or put it into standby regularly?

Screen savers no longer save screens. Technology is a lot better and neither normal CRT screens or modern flat panel screens suffer from the "etching" of images left on the screen for long periods of time that screen savers were designed to prevent. Standby mode simply maintains the system RAM whilst powering down everything else including hard disks and processor.