Green Computing

"Greening" your computing equipment is a low-risk way for your business to not only help the

environment but also reduce costs. It's also one of the largest growing trends in business today.

"Making a conscious decision to go green in the workplace, not only improves your bottom line,

but also reduces your carbon footprint. It's a win-win no matter how you look at it", says Shawn Nesbitt,

the founder of Simple Network Consulting.

Reducing energy usage, which also reduces carbon dioxide emissions and your energy bill, is the

most effective thing you can do. The average PC wastes about half the energy provided to it, according to

the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, an industry group dedicated to reducing greenhouse-gas

emissions. You should encourage employees to shut down their PCs or put them into sleep mode when

not working on them. Nesbitt recommends implementing thin clients produced by Neoware to reduce the

TCO of your company's computing environment. (Neoware is a member of www.thegreengrid.org).

How Much Energy Does Your Computer System Use?

A typical desktop PC system is comprised of the computer itself (the CPU or the "box"), a monitor, and

printer. A typical CPU may require approximately 200 watts of electrical power. Then, add 70-150 watts

for a 17-19 inch monitor (proportionately more for larger monitors). The power requirements of

conventional