Don’t actually kill your computer (then you couldn’t read EasyGreensy), but make sure you turn it off at night, and when you will not be using it for an extended period of time.

I’ve been guilty of all these poor computer management tips for a long time. Leaving a computer running can really be a hard habit to break, but the truth is most of us don’t need to leave them running while they are idle.

Make sure that when you turn off your computer or are away from it, you turn off your monitor. Screensavers do not reduce energy consumption. Also turn off all accessories like printers, modems and external drives. 

“Sleep Mode” does save energy, but not a significant amount. Be sure to set your computer’s “Energy” settings to be the most efficient, but don’t use this as a reason to leave your computer running.  At a minimum, configure your monitor to turn off after 20 minutes (or less) of inactivity, and your hard drive to turn off after 30 minutes of inactivity.

If you still have a CRT (the large monitors like an old TV), consider upgrading an Energy Star listed flat panel. They use about 1/3 the energy, some as little as 30W or 1W on standby.

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