Energy Saving Ideas For Your Office and Classroom

• Avoid using personal space heaters.   Such heating units use a lot of energy, cause breakers to trip, and are dangerous when left unattended.  One space heater can consume the same amount of power that it would take to run fifty-six  4-foot fluorescent lamps!
  The average space heater consumes about 93% of the load a 20-amp circuit breaker can handle. Combined with the use of another appliance (such as a personal computer), a space heater can cause the circuit breaker to trip.  If not properly safeguarded, such sudden power outages can damage electronic equipment and cause data loss. For information on safe and efficient radiant space heaters, please visit http://www.energyideas.org/topics/subtopics/default.cfm?s_qmr=10&s_qob=title&o=h,t,ts,ss,ds&c=h,t,14,127,496.

• Turn off lights when leaving offices, classrooms and conference rooms, where safe and practical.

• Enable the sleep settings on your computer monitor.  Screen savers do not save energy but sleep settings do. www.energy-solution.com/off-equip

• Turn off PCs, monitors, printers, copiers, coffeepots, and lights every night and on weekends.  If you can't turn off the whole computer, turn off the monitor and the printer.

• If appropriate, use ink-jet printers -- they consume 95% less energy than laser printers.  Similarly, laptops use 90% less energy than desktop computers.
  http://www.energydepot.com/aglc/library/newpages/computers.asp

• When purchasing PCs, monitors, printers, fax machines and copiers, look for Energy Star models.  http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=ofc_equip.pr_office_equipment.

• Purchase copiers that are suited to your department's needs. 
  http://208.254.22.6/index.cfm?c=copiers.pr_copiers

• Implement paper-reducing strategies such as double-sided printing, and using email instead of sending memos and faxes.  Saving paper saves energy because it takes 10 times more energy to manufacture a piece of paper than it does to put an image on it. http://www.environmentaldefense.org/alliance/PurchasingPulse_officepaper.html

• Be aware of peak power usage periods.  Try to minimize your energy use during peak demand hours from noon to 6 p.m.

• Wear comfortable business attire and wear layers to be comfortable at various temperatures and to avoid resetting thermostats.