Just because you run a Mac and think you’re impervious to viruses, it doesn’t mean you’re impervious to energy wasting. Luckily, there’s 10 easy things you can do to minimize your computer’s energy usage.
- Use Energy Saver in the System Prefences – pretty straightforward, but you can change how soon your computer goes to sleep when you’re not using it.
- Put your Hard Disk to Sleep when possible – check this box in your Energy Saver preference pane.
- Unplug external devices when they’re not being used – hard disks, printers, USB drives, and even MP3 players are phantom power hogs, so be sure to cut them off when you don’t need them.
- Charge your laptop efficiently – instead of leaving your laptop plugged in all the time, make use of the battery and unplug it when you have a full charge.
- Advanced Energy Saver Apps – applications like Power Manager 3, Faronics Power Save Mac, or Lights Out will step up your computer’s energy saving capabilities.
- Use newer, more energy efficient keyboards and mice – and stop using CDs while you’re at it.
- Get a new monitor (if you’re using a Mac Mini or Mac Pro)- cathode ray tube monitors are huge power consumers, so switch to LCD as soon as you can
- Get a new printer – same rule as the monitors, the older they are, the more energy inefficient they are. Plus, new model printers have dual sided printing which can cut your paper usage by 50%!
- Don’t print so much – but when you do, try using GreenPrint or EcoFont to optimize your ink usage.
- Use the computer less – although they’ve become somewhat of a crutch in recent years, by taking some time away from the computer you will help your well being and the environment.
Hopefully these tips help your Mac run a little greener.
Source: Simple Thoughts
