Practicing Green Computing

Summary

This article outlines sustainable computing practices at Colby College, including power-saving configurations, printing tips, battery optimization, and recycling procedures to promote environmental responsibility.

Power-Saving Tips

  • Turn off monitors when not in use, as they are primary power consumers.
  • Shut down computers at the end of the day; daily shutdowns do not harm the system.
  • Avoid using screen savers; instead, allow the display to turn off or the system to enter sleep mode when idle.
  • Configure power settings to automate energy-saving measures (see sections below for Windows and macOS instructions).

Printing Tips

  • Print double-sided (duplex) whenever possible to reduce paper usage.
  • Create PDFs instead of printing documents when a digital copy suffices.

Laptop Battery Optimization

Activities That Reduce Battery Life

  • Keeping the LCD screen on unnecessarily.
  • Leaving Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled when not in use.
  • Using peripherals that draw power from the laptop (e.g., USB drives, external hard drives).

Recommended Power Settings

Windows 11 (version 23H2 or later)

  1. Click the Start menu.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Click System.
  4. Select Power & battery.
  5. Under Screen and sleep, adjust settings to reduce power usage.

For advanced settings:

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
  3. Click Change plan settings next to your current power plan.
  4. Select Change advanced power settings to adjust detailed options.

macOS Ventura and Later

  1. Click the Apple menu in the upper-left corner.
  2. Select System Settings.
  3. Click Battery in the sidebar.
  4. Adjust options such as Low Power Mode and Optimized Battery Charging.

Recycling Procedures

Printer Cartridges

  • Place used cartridges back in their original packaging.
  • Deliver them to the basement of Eustis in the recycle room for pickup.

Paper

  • Colby uses 100% recycled paper campus-wide.
  • Designated recycling depositories are located throughout the campus.
  • Paper is collected regularly and taken to the Waterville Recycling Center.

 

For further assistance, please contact the ITS Support Center at support@colby.edu or call 207-859-4222.

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