Environmental Science InstituteUNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

The

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTINTHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

2008 - 2009

GreenComputingGuide

State Energy Conservation Office

Funded by:

TableofContents_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Credits 3

1 Introduction 4

2 BuyWisely 5

2.1 ComputerMonitor 6

2.2 Computer 6

2.3 Printer 7

2.4 Servers&PowerSupplies 7

3 EnablePowerManagementFeatures 8

3.1 CommonMythsAboutComputing 9

3.2 LabManagementSoftware 10

3.3 Lab&OfficeLightingStrategies 10

4 EfficientPrintingPractices 11

4.1 Recycleprintingpaper! 11

4.2 Recyclingbins 12

5 ProperEquipmentDisposal 12

6 TellaFriend 14

7 FinalWord 14

¤AppendixI‐Resources 15

¤AppendixII‐HowtoPowerDownYourComputer 16

¤AppendixIII‐Sources 17

¤AppendixIV‐GreenComputingReminders(PrintOut) 18

Credits TheEnvironmentalScience Instituteat theUniversityofTexasatAustin ispleasedtopresentthis Green Computing Guide to the University community and to all those interested in theenvironmentalaspectsofcomputertechnology.ThisguidewasmadepossiblebyfundingfromtheTexasStateEnergyConservationOfficeand the studentsand staffwhocontributed theirtimeandenergytomakethisinformationavailabletothegreaterpublic.

DIRECTOR:DR.JAYBANNER,ENVIRONMENTALSCIENCEINSTITUTEPROGRAMCOORDINATOR:ERICJAMES,ENVIRONMENTALSCIENCEINSTITUTE

PROGRAMCOORDINATOR:JULIARAISH,CAMPUSGREENLIGHT

AUTHORANDDESIGNER:PETERHACKMANN,COMMUNICATIONSSTUDENT,UNIVERSITYOFTEXAS

GRATITUDEISOWEDTOTHEFOLLOWINGFORTHEIRCONTRIBUTIONSANDSUPPORT:PATRICKLIU,2008ENGINEERINGSTUDENT,UNIVERSITYOFTEXAS

JENNIFERJOBST,INFORMATIONANDTECHNOLOGYSERVICESTHEUNIVERSITYOFTEXASCAMPUSENVIRONMENTALCENTER

THECITYOFAUSTINSOLIDWASTESERVICES

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1.IntroductionTHIS GREEN COMPUTING GUIDE is intended toprovidestudents,facultyandstaffwithpracticalways to implement information technologyenergy conservation measures in accordancewith the 2008 Campus Sustainability Policyissued by UT PresidentWilliam Powers. Underthe general policy guidelines, itmandates thattheUniversity:

“...engage inpollutionpreventionactivitiesanddevelop and promote practices that maximizebeneficial effects andminimize harmful effectsof operations, research and activities on thesurroundingenvironment;assessenvironmentalimpacts associatedwith activities; and developandtrackmeasuresofprogress.TheUniversity’sgoal is to maximize the efficiencies of itsoperations and services while minimizing itswastesandfootprint.”

As one of the first schools in Texas toimplement green energy projects on campus,the University of Texas has initiated apartnership between student and facultyenvironmental organizations aimed at makingour campus as sustainable as possible. TheUniversityofTexasInformationandTechnologyServices (ITS), and other technology networkson campus, maintain a retinue of electronicsystems on campus. Coordinating andcommunicating between the various types oftechnology systems at the University poses aformidableproblemgiventheimmensevolumeof electronics on a forty‐acre campus. As aresponse to this problem, the Green IT @ UTInitiative campaign was launched by ITS topromote campus‐wide energy conservationmeasures and responsible informationtechnology usage. Aimed at everyone fromstudentstolabmanagerstoadministrators,thegoal of this guide is to disseminate knowledgeabout the University of Texas’ environmentalcomputer technology stewardship as well aswaysof“minimizingitswastesandfootprint”.

For more information on the environmentalorganizations and campaigns at UT, seeAppendixI.

Large institutions likeThe University ofTexas at Austin haveextensive computerfacilities available forstudent and facultyuseyear‐round.Theyserve as pricelesselectronic resourcesfor students andfaculty. As such, theUniversity requiresvast amounts ofenergyandmoneytoprovide properservices.

Forexample:

• The Perry‐Castañeda Library offers 140workstations equipped with the Internet,online library resources, word processingsoftware,andgraphicsprograms.

• The Flawn Academic Center houses threeseparate computer laboratories with over200 high‐speed computers, including wordprocessingsoftwareandgraphicsprograms,availableforstudent,staff,orfacultyuse.

• The Cockrell School of Engineering makesapproximately 660 desktop computersavailable for student use, about a 10:1studenttocomputerratio.

• The Pickle Research Center contains 1.6million square feet of research space forengineering,scienceandtechnology.

• The new ACES Visualization Laboratoryincludesoneof thehighest resolution tileddisplays in the world as well as four high‐end workstations for visualizationdevelopment.

However, these resources also consumeextreme amounts of energy, oftenunnecessarily. In addition, discarded computersystemsposeahazardtotheenvironmentdueto the toxic chemicals that are part of manyelectronics. The cost of producing newerproductsalsoburnsnonrenewablefossilfuels.

ThisguideisbroughttoyoubyCampusGreenlight,acreationoftheEnvironmentalScienceInstitute(ESI)andtheCampus

EnvironmentalCenter(CEC),and

fundedbytheTexasStateEnergy

ConservationOffice(SECO)

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Howdoes thiswastecontribute togreenhousegas emissions and environmental degradation?AccordingtotheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA):

“The disposal of solid waste producesgreenhousegasemissionsinanumberofways.First, the anaerobic decomposition of waste inlandfills produces methane, a greenhouse gas21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.Second, the incineration of waste producescarbondioxideasaby‐product. Inaddition,thetransportation of waste to disposal sitesproduces greenhouse gas emissions from thecombustion of the fuel used in the equipment.Finally, the disposal ofmaterials indicates that

they are being replaced by new products; thisproductionoften requires theuseof fossil fuelsto obtain raw materials and manufacture theitems.” (General Information on the LinkBetween Solid Waste and Greenhouse GasEmissions)

As a result, the University of Texas has aresponsibilitytomanageitstechnologysystemsappropriately for the new energy‐mindedfuture. Implementationofthefollowingenergyconservation strategies will assure that theUniversity of Texas not only reduces itsgreenhouse gas contribution, but remains atthe forefront of progressive energy policies oncampusesandinstitutionsnationwide.

2. BuyWiselyMuchoftheenergyuseandreleaseoftoxicchemicalstotheenvironmenthappensnotwhenyouuseacomputer,butwhenyoubuyandeventuallydisposeofthemachine.Upto“70%ofheavymetalsfoundin landfills, includingmercuryandcadmium,comefromelectronicequipmentdiscards.”(SiliconValleyToxics Coalition, 2005). Based on the following tables, here is a summary of how you can conserveenergyjustbymakingasmartpurchasingdecision:• To Buy or Not to Buy? Carefully consider

the necessity of purchasing a new systembefore replacing your old one. Youmightsimplyupgradethecurrentsystemorinvestinnewersoftwareasopposedtohardware,thussavingthelandfillfromonemoretoxicitem.

• BuyENERGYSTAR®.Whenthepurchaseofnewequipmentisanabsolutenecessity,researchbeforechoosingwhichmakeandmodelisrightforyou.AlwayslookfortheENERGYSTAR®logooncomputers,monitors,andprinters.ENERGYSTAR®isajointprogramoftheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyandtheU.S.DepartmentofEnergyhelpingtoprotecttheenvironmentthroughenergyefficientproductsandpractices.FormoreinformationonENERGYSTAR®certificationvisit

www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=CO.

• Buy With the End in Mind. Computerscomeand go. It iswise tobuy a computerthatyouknowwillbedisposedofproperly.Avoidcontributingtoe‐wastebypurchasing

DoyouknowthealternativestopurchasingcomputersatUT?

NotonlydoesUThavemultiplecomputerlabs(http://www.utexas.edu/its/campus‐labs),but

italsohasalaptopcheckoutprogram(http://www.utexas.edu/its/laptop)aswellas

WindowsTerminalServices(http://www.utexas.edu/its/wts),whichallowsuserstoaccesstheirfilesfromany

computerwithaninternetconnectionwhilestoringalloftheirinformationononeremote

server.

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from companies that will take back oldequipment. Check with your computermanufacturer to see if they haveimplemented an electronics recyclingprogram.(SeeSection5formoredetails)

• Watch Your Monitor. To reduce energyconsumption, buy an LCD monitor. LCDmonitors use approximately 30% lessenergy thanCRTmonitors in theOnmode.Though energy consumption varies greatlyfrom monitor to monitor, research hasconsistently shown that LCD monitors aremore energy conservative than outdatedCRT monitors. (Source: Berkeley NationalLaboratory2002).

• Opt for a Laptop. Research shows that“laptops offer the potential for major

energy savings relative to desktops,”meaning a tower and CRTmonitor. Plus, alaptopismoresuitedtostudentlifeduetoitsportabilityandenergysavingspotential.(Source:efficientpowersupplies.epri.com/pages/SeptNRDCLaptopSummary_digital.pdf)

• UseInkjetPrinters.Inkjetprintersconsumethe least amount of energy compared tolaser and dot matrix printers. In addition,the University offers free inkjet and tonercartridgerecyclingservices tostudentsandfaculty.Visithttp://www.utenvironment.org/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46formoredetails.

2.1 ComputerMonitor

• LookforENERGYSTAR®certification.Whenchoosinganewcomputermonitor,alwayslookfortheENERGYSTAR®logo.

• Choose LCD. Liquid crystal display (LCD)monitors aremoreenergy efficient than cathode raytube(CRT)monitors.Onaverage,anLCDwillusehalftotwo‐thirdslessenergythanatraditionalCRTmonitor.Overtheyears,UTAustinhasdoneagoodjobinreplacingoldCRTmonitorswithnewerLCDonesattheexpirationofeachmonitor’slease.FormoreinformationonthebenefitsofLCDdisplays,visithttp://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=monitors.lcd.

COMPUTERMONITORENERGYCONSUMPTIONMonitorType AverageEnergyConsumption(inWatts)

17”LCD 35

17”CRT 80SleepingMonitor 0‐15

MonitorTurnedoff 0‐10(Source:NorthwesternUniversityInformationTechnology,2009) Accordingtothetable,a17”CRTmonitorconsumesmorethantwicetheamountofenergythana17”LCD monitor. Notice that when any monitor is turned off it still uses energy. Only unplugging thecomputercaneliminatethisphantomload.

2.2 Computer

Computersarebecoming increasinglyenergyefficient.Due to improvements incomputer technology,newercomputersconsumemuchlesselectricitythanolder‐generationcomputers.

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COMPUTERENERGYCONSUMPTIONComputerType AverageEnergyConsumption(inWatts)DesktopComputer 60‐250ComputerwithActiveScreenSaver 60‐250ComputerinSleepModeorStandby 1‐6Laptop 15‐45

(Source:NorthwesternUniversityInformationTechnology,2009)According to the table, laptop computers consume the least amount of energy compared to desktopcomputers.Notethatanactivescreensaverusesthesameamountofenergyasacomputer inactivemode.Inordertoreduceenergyconsumptionwhenthecomputerisnotinuse,putthesystemtosleepor turn itoffandunplug it. For informationonhowtoproperlypowerdownacomputer system,seeAppendixII.

2.3 Printer• ChooseInk‐Jets. Inkjetprintersaremoreenergyefficientthanothertypesofprinters.Seethe

followingtable.• ChooseENERGYSTAR®. Aswithcomputersandcomputermonitors,first lookfortheENERGY

STAR®logowhenselectingaprinter.

PRINTERENERGYUSAGEAccording to the table, thebest typeofprinter to purchase is an inkjet, usingonly10Wattsonaveragewhenprinting.Themostenergy‐consumingprinter is alaser printer, using 30 times moreenergy than an inkjet printer whenprinting! Even outdated dot matrixprinters use about 6 times less energywhen printing than the more modernlaser printer. For these reasons, it isstrongly suggested to choose inkjetprinterswhenmakingpurchases.

Furthermore,youcanrecycleyourusedinkjetcartridgesoncampus.Forinformationoncartridgeandtonerrecycling,ortoscheduleafreepickup,visithttp://www.utenvironment.org/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46.

2.4 Servers&PowerSuppliesNew innovations in server technology and system virtualization allow more systems to run off lesshardware, and consume less energy. Currently, UT Austin is slowly replacing more and more of itstraditional servers with “blade centers” than will use significantly less power than the servers theyreplace.

TypeofPrinter MeasuredLoad*(inWatts)Inkjet 3(idle)

10(printing)

DotMatrix 26(idle)50(printing)

Laser 150(idle)300(printing)

(Source:BarrieHydroDistributionInc.2006)*MeasuredLoadcorrespondstoaverageenergyusageoveraconstantperiodoftime.

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Some power supplies are now developed to use less heat than traditional power supplies, as manyserversconsumeunnecessaryenergyincoolingandpowerconversion.Thesavingsintheuseofserversthat reduce coolingandpower conversion costs canmakea largedifferencewhenusinghundredsofserversforoneinstitution.1

3. EnablePowerManagementFeaturesAs mentioned previously, greenhouse gases contribute to climate change. Currently, the biggestemission sector responsible for greenhouse gases is energy production, such as power plants.Transportation is a close second. Both require the burning of nonrenewable fossil fuels that alsocontribute to the Greenhouse Effect (Woodward and Hynes 66). With proper management andadministrationofcomputer labhardware,peripherals, lightingandcoolingsystems, significantenergycanbeconserved ‐whichmeans fewergreenhousegasemissions released into theatmosphere. Thefollowingsectiondemystifiescertainbeliefsaboutcomputerpowermanagementfeatures. Intheend,these seemingly small conservation methods amount to larger environmental savings.

1Thelatestpowerconversiondevicesgenerate45%lessheatthantraditionalpowersuppliesresultingin30%lessoverallserver‐powerconsumption.Thisissignificantbecauseaserverthatconsumes200Wattsofelectricitywillactuallyconsume511Wattsafterpowerconversionsandcooling.Thistechnologycouldequatetoapproximately$50,000insavingsayearforafacilityrunning400servers.(Source:AustinBusinessJournal2007)

ENERGYSTAR®PROGRAM

TheUniversityofTexasatAustinisnowanENERGYSTAR®Partner,andiscommittedtotheENERYSTAR®Challenge(http://www.utexas.edu/utakecharge/news/documents/UT_ENERGYSTAR.pdf).

Underthispledge,theUniversityofTexashasagreedto:

• Measureandtrackenergyperformanceoffacilities• Reduceenergyconsumptionbyatleast10%• Encouragethecampuscommunitytomakepositivepersonalchangesintheirenergyuseintheworkplace

andathomethroughvariouscampusinitiatives• EncourageotherhighereducationinstitutionsinTexastotaketheENERGYSTAR®Challenge

Manyresourcesareavailabletohelporganizationsreduceenergyconsumptionandsavemoneythroughthispartnershipwith theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency and theU.S. Department of Energy. FormoreinformationonENERGYSTAR®PartnersandtheENERGYSTAR®Challengevisit:

ENERGYSTAR®Partners:http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=join.join_index

ENERGYSTAR®Challenge: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=challenge.learn_challenge

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3.1CommonMythsAboutComputing

ThefollowinginformationderivesfromNorthwesternUniversityresearchstatistics:¤Myth#1:It’sGoodtoLeavetheComputerOn

Two reasons many people choose to never shut their computers down is that they believe thatfrequentlyshuttingdownwilldamagetheharddriveandultimatelyshortenthelifespanofthesystem,orthatbootingthecomputerbackupconsumessomuchenergyitisbettertojustleaveitrunning.However,• Modern computers are not harmed by frequent shutdowns (modern computers are designed for

40,000shutdowncycles‐theequivalentofturningyourcomputeroffandonover100timesperdayfor one year) andmay actually lengthen the lifetime of a computer by reducingmechanical heatdamage.

• The energy consumed when booting up the computer is equivalent to just a few seconds of anormalactivecomputer’senergyusage.

Consequently,shuttingthecomputerdownconservesenergy,whetherawayforashorttimeorallnightlong. Turning a computer on and off multiple times during the day does no damage to a computersystem.¤Myth#2:ScreenSaversSaveEnergyScreen savers do not conserve any energy. Screen savers were initially incorporated into computersystems to prevent the phosphors that light up yourmonitors from “burning‐in” on CRT and plasmamonitors. “Burning‐in” is the result of the same image being left on the screen for too long. Thephosphorcoatingintheseareasofthescreenwouldchangepropertiesandendupleavingashadowonthe screen. However, because of the improvements made in phosphor coatings in modern CRTmonitors(andthefactthatLCDmonitorsdonotevenusephosphors),“burn‐in” isnolongeranissue.Consequently,acomputerrunningascreensaveractuallyconsumesthesameamountofelectricityasanactivesystem.(SeeSection2.2formoreinformation)¤Myth#3:PuttingtheMonitortoSleepSavestheMostEnergyWhile computers in sleepmode consume drastically less energy than computers in activemode, thebestwaytoconservethemostenergy isbyunpluggingthecomputerfromthewallwhenyouarenotusing it. However, phantom loads (or aptly named vampire loads) consume energy even when thecomputeris“off”andstillpluggedintothewall.AVERAGEPHANTOMLOADENERGYCONSUMPTIONPERMONTH(KWH)

Notice in the tablethat a computersystem turned offbut still plugged instill consumes anoticeable amountof energy, while acomputer that isturned off andunpluggedconsumesnoenergy.Thoughit

ApplianceSleepModeConsumption

Turnedoff(pluggedin)

Turnedoff(unplugged)

Computer(Monitor&Tower)

28.3 2.8 0

InkjetPrinter ‐ 3.7 0

CopyMachine ‐ 3.8 0

FaxMachine ‐ 1.1 0

Source:SchatzEnergyResearchCenter,HumboldtStateUniversity

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seems to be a small difference, the energy savings that result from unplugging a computer versusputtingitinsleepmodearelargeconsideringthethousandsofcomputersusedoncampuseveryday.Forshorterperiodsofinactivity,computersystemscanbesettoautomaticallyenterlow‐powermodes.Needinstructionsonhowtopowermanageforaspecificsystem?SeeAppendixIIformoredetails.

3.2LabManagementSoftwareThere issoftwareonthemarketthatallowseasymanagementandautomationofanentirecomputerlabwith only a few clicks of amouse. However, UT Information Technology Services (ITS) does notregulateevery labon campus. In fact, themajorityofUT computer labsarenot regulatedby ITS. ITSregulated labs do follow the same protocols, though: UT has developed in‐house lab managementsoftwarecalled“Labman”. For labs thatarenot regulatedby labmanagement softwarealready, it isstronglysuggestedthatthelabmanagerorstaffimplementenergyefficientpoliciesinlabmanagement.AppendixIIgivesinformationonpropersleepsettingsforcomputers.Therearemany labmanagementprogramsthatallowan individual toupdate,suspend,shutdown,orturnonanentireunitofcomputerssimultaneously,includingtheoptiontoupdatecomputersduringashutdown. This will ultimately relate to more efficient allocation of resources, reduced energyconsumption,andreducedenergycosts.Forthesereasons,andbecausenotwolabsarealike,itiswisethatlabmanagerswithoutmanagementsoftwareresearchthebestprogramfortheoverallefficiencyofthelab.

3.3Lab&OfficeLightingStrategiesProper lighting is critical in any working environment. If your office or computer lab currently usesincandescentbulbs,replacethemwithcompactfluorescentbulbs(CFL)whentheyexpire.CFLscanlastupto10timeslongerthanincandescents,andarebetterfortheenvironment,thoughtheystillcontainmercury. A 22‐Watt CFL has the same light output as a 100‐Wattincandescent bulb. Furthermore, a single 18‐Watt CFL used in place of a75‐Wattincandescentwillsaveapproximately570kWhoveritslifetime,orapproximately$45at$0.08/kWh. Toputthis inenvironmentalterms,theenergy conserved by replacing an incandescent bulbwith a CFLwill keephalfatonofcarbondioxideoutoftheatmosphereoverthelifeofthebulb.UThasbegunoperationtoreplaceover3,200oldincandescentbulbswithCFLs, for a total estimated annual electricity savings of $47, 287. (Source:Synergies,Vol.1,3,2008)

One particular dilemma is that CFLs contain mercury, ahazardous element that causes severe health andenvironmental problems. Unfortunately, the City of Austin Solid Waste ServicescurrentlydoesnotofferspecialdisposalmeasuresforCFLbulbs.Consequently,AustinresidentsmustdiscardspentCFLsinthetrash,preferablyinasealedbag.However,accordingtotheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency:“Electricity use is the main source of mercury emissions in the U.S. CFLs use lesselectricity than incandescent lights, meaning CFLs reduce [but don’t reverse] theamount ofmercury into the environment. As shown in the table below, a 13‐Watt,

Ifyouworkinanofficeorenvironmentwithlightingcontrols,

considerusingnaturallight.Situatecomputersnearwindowsandturnofflights.YoumaybesurprisedathowwellthenaturalTexaslightrivalsartificiallight.

CFLsreducemercuryemissionsonlywhen

theyreplaceincandescentbulbs.

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8,000‐rated‐hour‐life CFL (60‐Watt equivalent; a common light bulb type) will save 376 kWh over itslifetime,thusavoiding4.5mgofmercury.Ifthebulbgoestoalandfill,overallemissionssavingswoulddropa little, to4.0mg.EPA recommends thatCFLsare recycledwherepossible, tomaximizemercurysavings.”(Source:InformationonCFLsandMercury,July2008)MERCURY,LIGHTBULBS&ENVIRONMENTALIMPACTLightBulbType

Watts Hours ofUse

kWhUse

NationalAverageMercury Emissions(mg/kWh)

MercuryfromElectricityUse(mg)

MercuryFromLandfilling(mg)

TotalMercury(mg)

CFL 13 8,000 104 0.012 1.2 0.6 1.8

Incandescent 60 8,000 480 0.012 5.8 0 5.8

(Source:InformationonCFLsandMercury,July2008)While CFLs still contribute tomercury emissions, switching from incandescent bulbs to energy‐savingCFLs actually decreases mercury emissions. Though a mercury‐free light bulb does not exist in thecommonmarket,CFLssaveenergyandthusresultinfewermercuryemissions.

4. EfficientPrintingPractices4.1Recycleprintingpaper

TheUniversityofTexasSustainabilityGuiderevealstheamountofpaperconsumedatUT:“In2007,UTused24,646cartonsofpaperor123,230,000sheetsofpaper! Of that paper used in2007, 18,072 cartons or90,360,000 sheets were made ofvirgin paper from forests thatwere not certified by the FSC[Forest Stewardship Council] orSFI [Sustainable ForestryInitiative]. That is 73% of thepaper used atUT in 2007! Paperconsumption at UT is huge, andall faculty, staff and studentshave the opportunity to use lessand encourage the purchase ofrecycled and sustainable paper.By changing our behavior wehave the opportunity to make abigimpact.”

PaperRecyclingTipsfromCityofAustin’sZeroWasteProgram• PrintDouble‐Sided!Double‐sidedprintingconservespaper.Ifthe

printershavedouble‐sidedprintingcapabilities,itshouldbesettothedefault.

• Buypaperwithrecycledcontent.• “Sleep” your printer. Activating the energy saving mode allows

themachine to automatically power down after a set period oftime.

• UseInkJets.Inkjetprintersconsumemanytimeslessenergythanalaserprinter,andstillprovideexcellentprintqualityofbothtextandimages.

• RecycleyourInk.Besuretorecycleyourinkandtonercartridgesalso.ThiscanbedoneoncampusthroughtheUniversityServices.

• Formoreinformationvisit:http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/benefits.htmorhttp://www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/0waste.htm

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Theuseofrecycledpaperversusvirginpaperreducesoverallenergyconsumptionby27%;moreover,itreducesgreenhousegasemissionsby47%(Source:EnvironmentalPaperNetwork).AccordingtoaPulpand Paper Factbook study, the total number of virgin cartons (18,072) from UT’s 2007 usage isequivalentto:

• 10,843trees(40ft.inheightand6‐8inchesindiameter)• 3,162,600gallonsofwater• 1,852,380kWhofenergyconsumption• 27,108lbs.ofairpollution

To offset paper waste, UT provides convenient services like Blackboard and WebSpace. Theseapplications are good alternatives to printing because many people can access documents withouthavingtobuyorusepaper.FormoreinformationaboutBlackboardvisithttps://courses.utexas.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_222_1ForinformationonWebSpacevisithttps://webspace.utexas.edu/TheCampusEnvironmentalCenter(CEC)alsorecyclesusedpaperandmakesnotepadsforpurchase.Forinformationonhowtodonateusedpaperfornotepads,visithttp://www.utenvironment.org/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95

4.2RecyclingBins

Onewaytoassistinrecyclingeffortsistoproviderecyclingbinsinconvenientlocationsaroundyourbuildings,labsandoffices.ThesecanberequestedonlinethroughtheUTFacilitiesServiceswebsite.http://www.utexas.edu/vp/ecs/recycle.htmlTheUniversityofTexasatAustiniscommittedtodoingwhatitcantorecycle.In2007,UT‐AustinwontophonorsforwasteminimizationintheRecyclemaniaCompetitionagainstmore than200other collegesanduniversitiesacross thenation.http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/results2007.asp

5. ProperEquipmentDisposalAll computers and some electronics contain materials that can be harmful to people and theenvironmentiftheyarenotdisposedofproperly.E‐wastecanberemovedorrecycledifoldcomputersareturnedintotheproperfacilitiesandnotleftatthedump.AccordingtoaPublicResearchWorksstudy,“E‐wasteaccountsfor70%ofheavymetalsinourgarbagedumps...50% to 80% of e‐waste taken to U.S. recyclers actually ends up in developing countries...E‐wasteoncebelonging toTexas schooldistricts, state and local governmentshasbeen found in illegaldumpsinTravisCounty,MissouriandevenNigeria”(PublicResearchWorks,2008).

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Attheuniversity,retireddepartmentalcomputersaretransferredtoSurplusProperty.Asrequiredofallstateagencies,thesecomputersandmonitorsarethentransferredtotheTexasDepartmentofCriminalJustice for recycling. This program allows the equipment to be put to good use through a variety ofmethodssuchasupdatingcurrentsystemsinschools,aswellasrecyclingtonsofhardwareforreuse.Whenbuyingcomputers,it iswisetothinkaboutwhichcompanieswilldisposeofyouroldelectronicsequipmentproperly.Mosttechnologymanufacturershaveextensivetakebackpoliciesandwillacceptyourcomputerforfree,butothersmayusecredittowardthepurchaseofanothercomputer(ComputerTakeBackCampaign,2007).Visitthewebsitesofthelargestcomputerandtechnologymanufacturersforrecyclinginformation:Acer https://usspringpromo.acer.com/Recycle/index.aspx

Apple http://www.apple.com/environment/recycling/

Dell http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/dell_recycling?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

Gateway http://www.gateway.com/about/corp_responsibility/env_options.php

HP http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitizenship/environment/recycle/

IBM http://www.ibm.com/ibm/recycle/us/

Intel http://www.intel.com/intel/environment/sustainable‐operations/recycling.htm

Lenovo http://lenovo.ecotakeback.com/

Microsoft http://www.techsoup.org/mar/default.aspx

Motorola http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Business/Corporate/US‐EN/corporate‐responsibility/environment/products‐recycling‐take‐back‐programs.html

Sony http://www.sony.com/recycle

Toshiba http://toshiba.eztradein.com/toshiba/ Xerox http://www.xerox.com/about‐xerox/recycling/enus.html

*PleasesearchtheWorldWideWebforadditionalup‐to‐dateinformationoncomputerrecycling.Mentionofbrandsinnowayimpliesarecommendation.

OnCampusComputerRecyclingSurplusPropertywillpickupandrecycleyourcomputerequipment,freeofcharge.http://www.utexas.edu/facilities/services/surplus.htmlInkjet&TonerCartridgeRecyclingJustplaceyourusedtonercartridgesinabox,labeltheboxinbigletteringwiththeword“RECYCLE”andplaceitatanyCampusMailpickuplocation.YoucanalsodropcartridgesoffattheMailServicesBuilding,orcall512‐471‐6523toarrangeapickup.http://www.utexas.edu/services/green/services.html MediaDestructionServicesUT’sInformationTechnologyServices(ITS)acceptselectronicmediaforsafedestructionpurposes.InadherencewiththeStateofTexasDepartmentofInformationMandates,ITSacceptseverythingfromharddrivestofloppydisks.http://www.utexas.edu/its/news/102007/hard‐drive‐destruction‐2007.php

DIDYOUKNOW?Toxins are not restrictedbygeography.Theburnedremnants of computerparts release dangeroussubstances into theatmosphere. Some ofthese pollutants areknown carcinogens, andcantravelacrosstheglobein a matter of days. Notonly do these substancestravel in the air, butthrough food chains aswell. (SiliconValley ToxicsCoalition2005).

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6. TellaFriendDon’t assume your friends and co‐workers know about green practices – tell them! You can start bydistributing this computing guide to office listservs, or printing out the Green Computing OfficeRemindersinAppendixIVonthewallabovetheprinter.Toattest the lackofgeneralknowledgeaboutgreencomputingpractices,aUnitedKingdomNationalEnergyFoundationstudyfoundthat:“Reasonsfor...leavingthecomputeron,weremorenumerous.Themainreasonsweresimplythehasslefactor(17%)andlackofpeerpressure–ormaybeanimplicitcompanypolicy,asno‐oneelsedid(10.4%).

9.8%thoughtittobeunimportant”(Source:1E,2006)Many people do not understand the potentially positive aspects of green computing practices. Byspreading such knowledge, you are actively contributing to the reduced energy costs of UT and theAustin community. If you see someone wasting paper, or leaving on hardware unnecessarily forexample,suggestthegreenalternative.AsmallcontributionfromeachofuscanmakeabigdifferencehereatUTandglobally!

7. FinalWordAs mentioned earlier, green computing practices make consequential environmental differences atmany levels.Notonlydoesgreencomputingconserveenergy,but italsosavesmoney, reducesgreenhousegasemissionsand reducesunnecessarywaste.Due to theuniqueneedsofeachcomputerandcomputer labatUT,greater labmanagementandenergyprotocolsarerequired inordertomakethebestenvironmentalimpact.Atanindividuallevel,taketimetothinkaboutwhatmeasurescanbetakenwithinyourpowertoreduceunnecessaryconsumption,whetheritbetoadjustyourcomputer’ssleepsettingsortopurchasetherightprinterforyourofficeorhome.Atthemanageriallevel,don’tassumethat everyone knows about the effects of information technology on the environment. Spreadknowledge, educate others, and provide opportunities for others to obtain information about greencomputinghereatUT.Byactinglocallyfirst,UTcancontributeinlargeparttosignificantchange.TheEnvironmentalScience Institutewishes to thankallof theUniversityofTexas staffmembers thathaveprovided informationandshared theiroutstandingenergy‐conservationpractices.Wehope thatthisguideprovidesastartingpointforcollaborationongreencomputingpracticesacrosscampusandinthelivesofourstudents,faculty,andstaff.

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¤AppendixI‐Resources • AlliancetoSaveEnergy

www.ase.org

• AppleandtheEnvironmenthttp://www.apple.com/environment/energyefficiency/

• CampusGreenLighthttp://www.esi.utexas.edu/greenlight/index.php

• ColumbiaUniversityEnvironmentalStewardshiphttp://www.columbia.edu/cu/environment/docs‐wycd/green_guide/index.html

• DellEnergySmartComputershttp://www.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/global/products/optix/topics/en/optix_energy?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&redirect=1

• EarthEasy–IdeasforEnvironmentallySustainableLivinghttp://www.eartheasy.com/homepage.htm

• EnergyStarProductswww.energystar.gov

• GreenIT@UT

http://www.utexas.edu/its/services/greenit/• MITInformationServices&Technology

http://web.mit.edu/ist/index.html

• NorthwesternUniversityInformation

Technologyhttp://www.it.northwestern.edu/index.html

• TexasStateEnergyConservationOfficehttp://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/

• UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtection

Agencyhttp://www.epa.gov

• UniversityofColoradoEnvironmentalCenterhttp://ecenter.colorado.edu/energy/projects/green_computing.html

• UniversityofTexasCampusSustainability

Policyhttp://www.utexas.edu/policies/hoppm/01.A.03.html

• UTCampusEnvironmentalCenterhttp://www.utenvironment.org/content/

• UTEnvironmentalScienceInstitutehttp://www.esi.utexas.edu

• UTSustainabilityPolicyhttp://www.utexas.edu/news/2008/05/06/sustainability_policy/

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¤AppendixII‐HowtoProperlyPowerDownaComputerThefollowingtablesshowhowtoproperlypowerdowntwostandardoperatingsystems.Bemindfultoalso turn off peripherals, including printers, fax machines, lighting, etc. For detailed information onpoweringdownoperatingsystems,visithttp://web.mit.edu/ist/initiatives/it‐energy/pcconfig.html.SETTINGTHESYSTEMTOPOWERDOWNMACOSSelecttheAppleMenuSystemPreferencesClick‘EnergySaver’.Click‘Sleep’Select‘BetterEnergySavings’Usethedragtoolbarstocustomizehowlongthesystemmustbeidlebeforegoingtosleep.DESKTOPS:Putthecomputertosleepwhenitisinactivefor:1hour.Putthedisplaytosleepwhenitisinactivefor:10minutes.Selecttheboxlabeled‘Puttheharddisk(s)tosleepwhenpossible’.LAPTOPS:Ifyourlaptopispluggedin‐Select‘Settingsfor:PowerAdaptor”Putthecomputertosleepwhenitisinactivefor:1hourPutthedisplaytosleepwhenitisinactivefor:10minutesChecktheboxfor‘Puttheharddisktosleepwhenpossible’Ifyourlaptopisrunningonbatterypower‐Select‘Settingsfor:Battery’Putthecomputertosleepwhenitisinactivefor:15minutesPutthedisplaytosleepwhenitisinactivefor:3minutesCheckthebox‘Puttheharddisktosleepwhenpossible’Tosetmoredetailedoptionsforenergymanagementgotothe‘Options’paneunder‘EnergySaver’preferences.

WINDOWSXPGototheControlPanelOpen‘PowerOptions’Goto‘PowerSchemes’Clickonthedrop‐downmenuandselectapre‐setpowerscheme.Thetimesettingswillbedisplayedforthecomputertogointostandby,forthemonitortoturnoff,andfortheharddrivetoturnoff.DESKTOPS:Selectthepowerschemefor‘Home/OfficeDesk’Underthedropdownmenus,customizetheschemeassuch:Turnoffmonitor:After10minutesTurnoffharddisks:After5minutesSystemstandby:After1hourSystemhibernates:NeverLAPTOPS:Selectthepowerschemefor‘Portable/Laptop’Underthedropdownmenus,selectthefollowing:Ifyourlaptopispluggedin‐Turnoffmonitor:After10minutesTurnoffharddisks:After20minutesSystemstandby:After1hourSystemhibernates:NeverIfyourlaptopisrunningonbatterypower‐Turnoffmonitor:After3minutesTurnoffharddisks:After5minutesSystemstandby:After1hourSystemhibernate:2hours

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¤AppendixIII‐Sources1EandtheNationalEnergyFoundation.AssessmentofthePotentialforEnergySavingsfromPCSoftwareManagement,2006.http://www.sustainableit.co.za/pdfs/UK%20Energy%20Report.pdf AmericanForestandPaperAssociation.http://www.afandpa.org/ AustinBusinessJournal.“ColdWatt:ActivePoweronthe‘Grid’”.May11,2007.http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2007/05/14/story13.html?f=et159&b=1179115200%5E1461104&hbx=e_vert BarrieHydroDistributionInc.“EnergyConsumptionTable”.Ontario,Canada,2006.http://www.barriehydro.com/business‐customers/load‐management/energy‐consumption‐table/ BerkeleyNationalLaboratory.EnergyUseandPowerLevelsinNewMonitorsandPersonalComputers.UniversityofBerkeley,California,July2002.http://enduse.lbl.gov/Info/LBNL‐48581.pdf TheCampusEnvironmentalCenter.UniversityofTexasSustainabilityGuide.UniversityofTexas,2008.DannaSmith:DogwoodAlliance,NicoleRycroft:MarketsInitiative,SusanKinsella:Conservatree.PulpandPaperFactbook.AF&PA,2000.DellComputers,Inc.“StudioHybridDetails”,2009.http://www.dell.com/hybrid DellPowerEdgeEnergySmartServers,2008.http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/pedge/en/family_brochure_energy_eff.pdf EnergyStar.InformationonCompactFluorescentLightBulbs(CFLs)andMercury.July2008.http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf EnvironmentalPaperNetwork.“PaperRelatedStatistics”.http://www.environmentalpaper.org/PAPER‐statistics.html Jones,Ernesta.EPA2006PressReleaseonNewComputerEfficiencyRequirements.WashingtonDC:EnvironmentalProtectionAgency,2006.http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/a8f952395381d3968525701c005e65b5/113b0c0647fee41585257210006474f1!OpenDocument NorthwesternUniversityInformationTechnology.“PowerManagementStatistics”.January16,2009.http://www.it.northwestern.edu/hardware/eco/stats.html PublicResearchWorks.ProducerTakeBackRecycling:YourGuidetoElectronicWasteRecyclinginCentralTexas.Austin,Texas,2008.www.publicresearchworks.org/downloadit.cfm?DocID=210SchatzEnergyResearchCenter.“PhantomLoads”.HumboldtStateUniversity.http://www.cityofarcata.org/images/stories/phantom_loads.pdf SiliconValleyToxicsCoalition.SystemError:ToxicTechPoisoningPeopleandPlanet.SanJose,CA:SiliconValleyToxicsCoalition,2005.http://www.etoxics.org/site/DocServer/SVTCcampusFINAL.pdf?docID=121Synergies.“DHFSReplaces3,200LightBulbs!”Vol.1,Issue3,2008.http://www.utexas.edu/safety/ehs/sustainability/newsletter/synergies_vol1_issue3.pdf UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.“GeneralInformationontheLinkBetweenSolidWasteandGreenhouseGasEmissions”,2007.http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/generalinfo.htmlUnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.LCDBasics.http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=monitors.lcd Woodward,JohnandHynes,Margaret.ClimateChange.NewYork:DKPublishing,2008.

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¤AppendixIV‐GreenComputingRemindersPleaseprintandposttheseGreenComputingRemindersinacommonworkspacetospreadthewordaboutgreencomputingpracticesandenergyconservation.Everyone’sdoingit...

INTHEOFFICE/LAB:• Useinkjetprintersinsteadoflaserprinters• Printandcopydouble‐sided• Recycle, recycle, recycle! If you don’t have a recycling bin, call 471‐

8438• Screensaverswasteenergy.Putyourcomputertosleeporturnitoffandunplugit• UseCFL lightbulbswhereverpossible,andonlywhenoldbulbsneed

replacing• UseBlackboardandWebSpacetoconservepaper• If you see somebody improperly disposing of recyclable materials,

politelyletthemknow.It’snodifferentfromlittering

OUTOFTHEOFFICE/LAB:• Unplugallcomputersandprintersiftheyarenotbeingusedforlong

periodsoftime• Unplugpowerstripswhenawayforextendedperiodsoftime• Unplugalldesklights,lampsandoverheadlights• UnplugallTVmonitors• Unplugshredders,copymachinesandotherbusinessequipment.If

youexpecttoreceivefaxesoverthebreak,keepyourfaxmachineon• Turnthethermostatoffordowninordertominimizetheamountof

heatingorcoolingputintoemptyoffices• Unplugmicrowaves,hotpadsoranykitchendevices,but leaveyour

refrigeratorpluggedin

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