Computers/Printers

Personal computers have become an important part of many households but they can be big consumers of power. By making smart choices when purchasing and using your computer equipment, you can save energy and help the environment.

Saving energy with your computer equipment

The best way to save energy is to make sure you turn your computer equipment off when not in use. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions on shut down procedures before turning off your equipment. A good idea is to purchase a surge protected power board to connect your PC, monitor, printer, and modem equipment to turn off by one easy flick of the switch.

If your computer (including your printer and monitor) has energy saving features, such as a ‘standby’ or ‘sleep’ mode, make sure they are enabled. If you aren’t sure how to do this, ask the manufacturer or your IT retailer for help, or check out the instructions at the Energy Star site. 

Screensavers don’t save energy. To save power, switch off the monitor.

A computer in standby mode still uses a small amount of energy. Turn your computer off at the wall to make sure you aren’t wasting power.

How to...purchase an energy efficient computer

When purchasing computers and equipment such as printers, scanners and fax machines, check to see if they have an Energy Star label. The label indicates products which have energy saving features.

Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient electronic equipment. It was created by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 and has now been adopted by several countries around the world, including Australia.

Products labeled with Energy Star reduce the amount of energy they consume by automatically switching into a standby mode when it's not being used and/or reducing power used when in ‘standby’ mode.

Choosing the right equipment also helps reduce unnecessary energy consumption. A laptop computer can use up to 75% less energy than a personal computer. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitors generally use less energy than Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors.

Consider your printing needs and the associated energy use and costs before buying a new printer. Laser printers are generally faster than ink jet printers and are suited to high print volumes. When printing, laser printers can consume more than three times the energy used by a PC. Ink jet printers generally use less energy than laser printers. They can produce high quality print, suitable for photographs for example, but print at a slower rate than laser printers.

It is also important to consider a printer’s typical consumption of supplies such as toner or ink cartridges before making your purchase.

For tips on reducing paper waste when printing, click here.