It’s no secret that the technology industry consumes a lot of power. All that energy usage creates tons of carbon dioxide emissions. And it’s not just the large data-centers and server farms sucking up all the juice. Your very own home computer is contributing too.
When you consider the average settings on home computers, its not surprising how much power they consumes. Studies have been known to show that half of the power an average home computer uses just goes to waste. Home computers frequently set unused for quite some time before powering down, or shifting into sleep or other power-saving mode.
The NY Times ran an article today highlighting this power consumption. Home computers are responsible for a surprising amount of pollution. According to the article:
The research firm Gartner estimates that 40 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions resulting from information technology and telecommunications are attributable to PCs. Data center computers account for 23 percent, and the rest is attributable to printers and telecommunications equipment.
Collaboration between major industry players is striving to raise awareness. They are distributing free software called Edison, combining user flexibility and power saving options. Check it out here, along with some other power saving tools.