A domestic user running a single computer can make a valuable contribution to the environment by saving up to *135kg of CO2 per year and approximately *£50.00 in electricity per year by using the ecobutton™ regularly. There are approximately 20 million home PCs in the UK so collectively, through nationwide power saving routines, it could be possible to stop 2.8 million tonnes of CO2 from passing into the atmosphere through computers otherwise being left running idle at home.

A small to medium sized business running 50 computers could save around 3.40 Tonnes of CO2 and over £1200 per year of electricity by using the ecobutton™ for just 2 hours per day. A larger business running 500 computers could save over 34 Tonnes of CO2 and over £12,000 per year by using the ecobutton™ for just 2 hours per day.

2 hours might seem a lot but the time your computer is left idle soon adds up. For a start your lunch break is going to be about 1 hour, now include a few phone calls, say 30 minutes per day, a couple of trips to the loo, another 15 minutes, and that meeting you've been hoping to avoid and soon enough your computer has been left running alone for at least 2hrs.

And because the ecobutton™ stays illuminated even during ecomode, this can also provide a useful reminder that all unnecessary computers, lighting, heating and air conditioning etc... should be be switched off when not in use.

Savings Calculator

Use the savings calculator below to see how much carbon, electricity and money you could save with regular use of the ecobutton™. Adjust the default INPUT INFORMATION in blue to match your usage. The default information already provided assumes an average and has been compiled from various sources - see information at the bottom of this page for details. You can also save the calculator as an Excel document for use offline, just click the 'save as Excel' option.

NOTES:

INPUT figure B 'Average Watts per computer' will depend on the type of computer you have and will vary depending on the type of work you do on it. Some computers use more power than others. Most desktop computers fall into the range of 60-300 Watts. Laptops are less.
Further useful information about computer and monitor power consumption is provided at the following link http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/computers.html (ecobutton™ is not responsible for information provided on external links)

INPUT figure D 'Watts rating per monitor' - the default figure assumes a 17'' LCD monitor. CRT monitors use more.
For more information on your computer and monitor watts rating check your equipment for any information labels or check your machine's documentation.

INPUT figure E 'Average cost per KW hour of electricity' - the default figure assumes an average. Check your electricity bill or with your supplier to get an exact figure for the charges you pay.

INPUT figure F 'Carbon Units produced per kWh of electricity' - the dedault figure shown is average for your Country. Figures vary per Country and by area - for a more accurate estimate of carbon units please refer to our resources page here >> Carbon Resources