business money-savers

PC Power Management Tools Save Companies Money and Energy

jplatt — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Ah, the power of the PC -- or should I say the power consumption of the PC?

The average PC uses somewhere in the range of 600kw hours of electricity per year -- more if it is left on 24/7, an error that all too many computer users make.

If just one computer uses that much energy, imagine the cost of an entire network of computers. A business could have a dozen, a hundred, a thousand or ten thousand PCs on-site. And boy do they have a combined impact on an organization's electricity bill.

Wondering what to do about this? Smart companies are installing programs that can help manage and control PC power usage throughout their networks. NightWatchman from 1E and Surveyor from Verdiem seem to be two of the most popular. Each program lets companies set building-wide policies that send PCs into standby mode when they are not being used and turn all PCs on and off at certain times of the day. Unsaved data is saved before shutdowns, so users never have anything to worry about.

1E says companies using its product can save $50 per PC per year which dramatically saving greenhouse gases. Verdiem says its product can save $20-$60 per PC per year. Both companies say their programs pay for themselves in a matter of months.

By the way, individual users don't need to wait for corporate policy to take control of their PC's power usage. You can easily change several simple settings in Windows which could cut your PC power usage as much as 50%. A great article at PC World tells you how.

Give these solutions a try. We'll all breathe just a little bit easier.

Green Hard Drive Saves Power While Backing Up Your Computer

jplatt — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:00:00 -0400

I learned long ago that hooking a good external hard drive up to my computer is the best way to avoid losing my files, digital photos, videos and other important records.

External hard drives don't use a heck of a lot of power, but one new model uses even less than usual. According to manufacturer Newer Technologies, their Guardian MAXimus eMAX uses up to 50% less power than other 1TB drives. As an added bonus, the drive is compliant with the European RoHS standard, meaning it was made with a limited amount of hazardous materials.

The Guardian MAXimus is actually a hard-drive enclosure, meaning you can buy it with hard drives included (available in several different sizes) or add your own. This provides an extra level of flexibility to users that you don't find with many other external hard drives.

This is the first "green" storage device from Newer Technologies, a company which has been an industry leader since the 1980s. The company already has a free battery recycling program for its laptop and iPod batteries.

Cold Soda Equals High Energy Costs

jplatt — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:00:00 -0400

When the city of Juneau, Alaska, experienced a severe energy shortage last month, local businesses quickly unplugged some of their most energy-dependant appliances: vending machines.

According to the U.S. government's ENERGY STAR program, the average vending machine costs a business $311 a year in electricity costs alone. But an ENERGY STAR-qualified vending machine costs half that -- $158 -- or less if includes software to further reduce energy use during non-peak times.

When you consider that the average business has several vending machines, you can see how costs can quickly spiral out of control.

There are several ways to green your vending machines, which will help you to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One way is to replace older vending machines with ENERGY STAR-rated models. Another is to invest in the VendingMiser from USA Technologies. These plug-and-play devices use passive infrared sensors to monitor their surroundings, turning vending machines off when no one is around. The also monitor vending machine temperatures, keeping drinks cool while using less energy. USA Technologies says their VendingMiser makes any vending machine as efficient as an ENERGY STAR device and can save a business up to $150 a year in energy costs, while also reducing annual maintenance costs by another $40-$80.

So the next time you see one of your employees carrying an ice-cold soda back to their desk, think about how much that can or bottle is costing you, and take a small step to protect the environment. Your bottom line will thank you.

Reduce Your Business Travel By Meeting Online

jplatt — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Over the last few years, my wife and I have traveled to more than 20 states and who knows how many cities for business meetings, classes and conferences. Each trip required time, money, and a heck of a lot of jet fuel.

But lately, a greener alternative has popped up. More events are being held online using web conferences and webcasts. Not only does this save the stress of travel, its also avoids the high fuel costs associated with driving or flying to these events. And yes, it saves us and our employers money, too.

A web conference is just like a meeting around a conference table -- only everyone is at their desks on their PCs. Ideal for spread-out workforces, web conferences offer flexibilty and easy scheduling without trying to get everyone in the same room at the same time.

Webcasts are more like a TV broadcast, but often with some form of interactivity. Ideal for classes, lectures, sales presentations and other events with few speakers but a large audience, these allow you to reach a large number of people without anyone having to travel.

Beyond travel, webcasts have other environmentally friendly benefits you might not think of right away. Live meetings typically come with reems of printed materials -- handouts, folders, etc. With an online event, all of that material is distributed digitally. By not printing these materials, companies save money and reduce waste (because let's admit, 90% of those handouts are going to end up in the trash the next day).

Speaking of waste, how many meetings that you've attended have been catered? And how much of that food is usually left over and needs to be thrown out? You can't feed people over the web, so that saves more money and avoids more garbage.

So the next time someone invites you to fly across the country for a meeting, ask them, can we do it online instead?