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To Save Energy, Turn Off Computers
You've probably heard that desktop computers should be left on because starting them back up causes additional wear on the hard disk and other components. Like other myths, this was once true...in the days of huge, soap-lubricated hard disks attached to room-size mainframes. However, today's computers can tolerate several on-off cycles each day. At a minimum, desktop computers should be turned off at the close of business, over lunch breaks and during long meetings. Even more efficient Energy Star computers should be turned off at night and on weekends.

IBM, a leading maker of computers of all sizes, tells employees that turning off their computers for one hour each day can save the company $1 million per year in energy costs. They recommend printers be turned on only when needed and then turned off. They suggest monitors be turned off when going to lunch or a meeting. A local engineering firm found that monitor life was significantly extended when they stopped leaving their computers and monitors on overnight.

Many organizations have learned that employees need constant reminders. Posters, power switch stickers, staff meetings, announcements and friendly notes have been shown to reduce energy use by as much as 14 percent annually. But savings gradually decline without a new type of reminder. Some companies reduce the uncertainty of human behavior with smart power strips that automatically shut down equipment when not in use.

Modern computers have come a long way since the early behemoths. Today, computer chip and hard disk manufacturers say that equipment should experience no reduction in life expectancy due to power cycling as long as recommended shut-down procedures are followed. Any degradation from cycling computers and monitors several times a day is far outweighed by energy savings and longer service life. The useful life of laser printers may also be extended by power management, because of the decrease in thermal cycling.

Like many myths, this one was once based in fact, but the myth has outlived the facts. Now that the myth has been put to rest, you can encourage employees at your business to turn off those idle computers.