This research report, made available specially to GreenerComputing readers by the Info-Tech Research Group, looks at the history of PC power management, offers an overview of the capabilities of the Windows OS and third-party power management software, and presents the possible pitfalls of implementing a power management plan as well as an action plan.

The other resource is the PC Power Saving Plan Calculator:

This tool measures the approximate payback period for advanced scheduling software, and gives IT an idea of how much energy and money can be saved by implementing a PC Power Saving Plan. It also illustrates the mass of C02 emissions averted, and the equivalent number of cars taken off the road by implementing a PC Power Saving Plan.

The full report and the calculator are both available at Info-Tech.

Via Greener Computing

Post from: EveryJoe

Reduce Costs & Energy Consumption with a free PC Power Saving Plan & Calculator

Stop feeding the Phantom: Electrical devices can drain energy even when they are on standby. Power down completely whenever possible by using strategically placed power strips. Set it up so all you need do is press one off switch to cut the phantom’s food source. Try the Smart Strip Power Strip or the WattStopper to gain control over idle currents.

Go Natural: One of the strategies of today’s green buildings is to maximize natural daylight for both energy savings and health benefits. Inviting natural light into work and creative spaces reduces the need for artificial lighting. Energy efficient windows let light in without solar gain which means more natural light, lower electric bills and less heat load (which also translates into less AC and less electricity and so on and so on). One simple step, like taking advantage of natural daylight, can increase energy savings and worker productivity to boot!

Choose Renewable: You don’t need to install a wind turbine in the parking lot to take advantage of renewable energy (although there are lots of great innovative possibilities). And choosing renewable may be as easy as checking a box on your electric bill. Check with your utility company for renewable options, they may already offer this in your area. If not, consider purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) as an offset for your electricity use and an investment in the future of renewables. It’s not as costly as you may think.

Got more ideas to green your office electricity? Let us know, leave a comment.

More ways to green your lighting and electricity at Green Building 101: Environmentally Friendly Lighting

Post from: EveryJoe

Greening Your Electricity at the Office – Spring Cleaning Week

Kind of a mixed bag but it makes sense. Even in a flat market (I would even go so far as to say a down market) greener houses are going to gain an edge.

Why? Energy-efficiency is likely at the top of the priority list. The cost of energy and fuel is less of a sting in small bites, like at the pump. It’s not like we don’t notice that gas prices have shot up but it’s easier to swallow in small pieces one fill-up at a time.

At home, it’s a different story. The bills are bigger, especially if you heat with oil and pay out in big chunks for the season. As the high heating bill hits home this year, homeowners will have an even bigger incentive to go green: save money.

Green building has been perceived as much more expensive than conventional construction but consumers are catching on that green makes sense and cents. Energy-efficiency is a key factor, but it’s not the only factor driving the trend:

“Green is in because there is a higher level of awareness now of the issues surrounding the environment and, specifically, global warming,” said David Pratt, a principal in the Lorax Partnership consulting firm and president of the Baltimore chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council…Rising energy costs, if not eco-sensitivity, drive people to consider higher efficiency ventilation systems, Energy Star appliances, on-demand water heaters, low-voltage bright lights, even solar and geothermal heating and cooling systems.” – Sun

Have any plans to go green at home this year? Pipe in with a comment.

A big nod to Dan at Property Crossroads for the tip!

Post from: EveryJoe

Green Building Gains Ground Amid Market Woes

Small businesses are the backbone of the economy but until now haven’t had the same opportunities for money saving, energy efficiency projects as big business.

Here’s the scoop (Via GreenBiz):

Under a pilot program included in the energy bill signed into law last month, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will offer low-cost loans for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that want to improve their energy and fuel use.

The two-year pilot will lower the fees on 7(a) business loans for efficiency projects and fund grants for Small Business Development Centers that will offer free energy audits and efficiency trainings for small companies. The directive also requires the SBA to encourage SMEs to offer telecommuting as an option to employees, and give priority to small companies researching energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

Read the full article here Small Businesses to get Energy Efficiency Help and check out Energy Star for Small Business for more ways you can take advantage of energy efficiency opportunities.

Post from: EveryJoe

How the New Energy Bill Can Boost Your Small Business

The big push is to get rid of incandescent bulbs which the Irish Green Party leader called a “technology invented during the age of the steam engine.”

In the “just one thing” category, Ireland’s light bulb ban is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 700,000 tons per year and save residents some $185 million euros ($269.3 million) annually.

Greenpeace, who have been campaigning the Irish Government to ban conventional energy-wasting incandescent lightbulbs by 2010, noted that Ireland is the first country in the EU to make a move to energy-efficient lighting as the standard.

My aunts and I were recently talking about the “Celtic Tiger” – the roaring economy that started to rear in the 1990s. This rapid growth has brought many benefits but it’s also brought more consumption, emissions and waste. The recent green moves acknowledge that Ireland has not been at the top of the EU class on environment, in no small part due to the economic growth.

But, speaking as a foreign born Gael, I think Ireland will put the work down to meet the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol – a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from 70 million tonnes to 63 million tonnes by 2012.

More illumination:

• Bulb ban could make Ireland Guiding Light in EU at Greenpeace
• Ireland goes green with light bulb rules and car tax at Reuters

Post from: EveryJoe

Ireland Shines With New Light Bulb Rules

PCMag reported a disappointing turnout that indicated that “‘greening’ technology remains a low priority.” The biggest challenge to changing that mindset is the cost-effectiveness of adopting green strategies.

Conference keynote speaker Joan Vandermate of Polycom, told PC Magazine:

Everybody will say that it’s a good thing to do, but if there’s any invest required, whether it’s an investment of actual dollars or having to assign an employee to do something—in there’s any sort of actual effort involved, then there has to be a payback.

This mentality, speakers warned, can prompt greenwashing – spinning green – rather than truly green initiatives. In order to combat the ‘green is more expensive’ expectations, the conference focused on initiatives with immediate financial benefits – among them simple energy-saving strategies and optimizing virtual communications to cut down on air and car travel.

The conference kicked off with speaker Rick Snyder, president of Tandberg, a virtual communication company. Mr. Snyder’s contribution was rooted in his company’s focus on helping other companies to “See Green.” Tandberg teamed up with research firm Ipsos MORI on one of the largest global research projects on consumer attitudes toward climate change and its impact on corporate brands. The results: consumers and employees reward green companies.

Other speakers noted that although green wasn’t yet a necessity for consumers, it was a high priority that is only expected to increase over the next 2 -10 years. That message was delivered with a program lineup that included Top Ten Ways to be GREEN through Better Networking, Maximizing Benefits of a Virtual Workforce, Empowering Teleworking with IP Telephony and Web Services and Virtual Meetings: A Faster Path to Lowered Emissions.

The take home message? Catch on to the benefits of going green or be left out of a changing market. The next Green Technology conference will be in Miami in January 2008.

Via Green Tech Speakers Warn of ‘Greenwashing’ at PCMag

Post from: EveryJoe

Green Tech & Greenwash Warnings at Green Technology World Conference

The ranking evolved with information from the American Lung Association, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PIRG (water), U. S. Green Building Council and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Department of Transportation, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club.

On top: Vermont, Oregon and Washington. All have low carbon dioxide emissions per capita (or “carbon footprints”), strong policies to promote energy efficiency and high air quality, as indicated by their major metro areas that are low in smog and ozone pollution. They’re also among the states with the most buildings (on a per capita basis) that have received the U.S. Green Building Council’s benchmark certification, known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

It does not surprise me that the greenest states are those with strong Green Building initiatives. Buildings account for almost half of the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, 30% of raw materials, 36% of energy used, 12% of potable water used and 30% of waste. Green buildings reduce all of these impacts.

Combining the annual energy required to operate residential, commercial, and industrial buildings along with the embodied energy of industry-produced building materials like carpet, tile, glass, and concrete exposes buildings as the largest energy consuming and greenhouse gas emitting sector.

- Architecture2030

U.S. CO2 Emissions by Sector

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration statistics

The top ranked state of Vermont is home to BuildingGreen.com, one of the premier authorities in the industry and publishers of Environmental Building News which is widely regarded as the leading publication in the field. If you think green building is a fad, think again. The market for green, environmentally responsible building is one of the fastest growing sectors of the construction industry up 20% in 2005, 30% in 2006 and showing no signs of slowing down in 2007.

The USGBC LEEDs program is not the only green building initiative, although it is the most rigorous. The EPAs Energy Star program has a similar focus, especially in regard to energy and water efficiency. Another great program is the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) which gives homes an energy report card complete with areas that need improvement, an estimate of improvement costs and the expected energy savings. A home with a HERS score can qualify for an energy efficient mortgage (EEM). One of the nationwide leaders in HERS is the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET).

Green States + Green Buildings = Green Market.

Links:

• America’s Greenest States at Forbes
• U.S. Green Building Council
• BuildingGreen.com
• RESNET
• Energy Star

Post from: EveryJoe

Green Build States Top Forbes List

While the mega store wasn’t founded on sustainable principles, other than sustaining the Walton’s, the corporation responsible for moving over 300 billion dollars worth of merchandise in 2007 continues to announce green initiatives that are standing up to scrutiny.

Most recently, in an unusual display of transparency, Wal-Mart announced an energy and emissions tracking initiative along the supply chain of seven product categories: beer, DVDs, milk, soap, soda, toothpaste and vacuum cleaners. The move is part of a new partnership with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an independent not-for-profit organization.

In Wal-Mart’s Newest Green Goal: Cleaner Supply Chains, ClimateBiz reported that

“The partnership between CDP and Wal-Mart is a significant milestone in corporate action to mitigate climate change,” said CDP Chief Executive Paul Dickinson. “By engaging its supply chain in the CDP process, Wal-Mart will encourage its suppliers to measure and manage their greenhouse gas emissions, and ultimately reduce the total carbon footprint of Wal-Mart’s indirect emissions. We look forward to other global corporations following Wal-Mart’s lead and partnering with CDP.”

At yesterday’s Wal-Mart’s Live Better Sustainability Summit exhibitors included eco-heavyweights like Biomimicry Guild, Alliance to Save Energy, McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC/Cradle to Cradle), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), TransFair and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) among others.

I watched the Live Better Sustainability Video and it reinforced my ongoing feeling about Wal-Mart’s new “green lens”. Environmental issues are permeating the world of consumer goods, meaning consumers are making choices that show that the environment is one of their priorities. Businesses and companies that fail to react to the market will become dinosaurs or in the words of Wal-Mart President & CEO Lee Scott:

“sustainability was one of those things that we were paying very little attention to, but yet more and more of our customers were paying attention to it. And the people who weren’t interacting and weren’t connecting to sustainability, as I looked at them, seemed to be that they were going to become less and less relevant.”

Less relevant. Hmmm. There is no argument from me that Wal-Mart has embraced sustainable practices. They have not just relabeled themselves to make it in a eco-friendlier business world. Even Lloyd Alter over at TreeHugger admits It’s Getting Harder to Hate Wal-Mart with a long list of reasons why. The mega-corporation’s new environmental initiatives are sound.

The fact remains that Wal-Mart has integrated sustainable practices because it’s good for business. A huge, billion dollar business. It’s still allright to loathe the company’s foreign product sourcing, discrimination tactics, union-busting practices and long list of other social ills that have built the dynasty. Or even just to hate it for its size.

Wal-Mart has made impressive efforts to become a greener mega-corporation but it’s no sacrifice, it’s a business strategy with benefits. The truth is Wal-Mart owes us and it’s about time they started paying up. The reality is they’ve just realized that they’ll save money by making good on their environmental deficits.

Read more:

• The Impossibility of a Green Wal-Mart at Grist
• A Good Switch or a Bad Switch? at Grist
• Is Wal-Mart Going Green? at MSNBC
• Wal-Mart Grows Green Strategies at USA Today
• Wal-Mart to Pay $1 Million Fine and Establish $4.5 Million Environmental Plan at EPA
  
• Wal-Mart Embraces Sustainability: Does the SRI community buy it? at Social Funds

Post from: EveryJoe

Wal-Mart: Green, greener or greenwashing?