ECOBUTTON - One Small Click, One big Change
Jul 23, 2009 I Green Software.
Sometimes the little things count for a lot. Everyone knows cell phone chargers and televisions use a small amount of electricity even when not in use. This is known as phantom power. The simple solution to that waste is the installation of power strips that are easily accessible to switch on and off as needed. Not so easy if the power robber is your computer.
The home or office computer has become the most-used electrical device in most parts of the world. It is how we communicate, study, research, create, schedule and otherwise manage our lives and businesses.
The idea of turning off your computer every time you take a break or are not using it is out of the question. The time required to shut-down and restart does not leave many options. Even the power-saving modes on most computers waste a large amount of power.
The inventors at ecobutton.com have an innovative solution to save money and reduce CO2 emissions from your home or office computer. The Ecobutton is an add-on that plugs into any USB port. The button itself sits atop your desk or workstation and is graphically designed to remind you of the importance of reducing CO2 emissions.
The software used with the Ecobutton allows the user to place the computer in a unique kind of stand-by mode which only allow the computer and monitor to use the same amount of power as if they were turned off. With one touch of the Ecobutton, the computer instantly returns to where the user left off. There is no need to shut down programs or turn off switches.
The Ecobutton software also tracks your power savings. Although it may not seem that a lot of electrical power and CO2 emissions would be saved, the numbers can be amazing. A single home computer using the Ecobutton can reduce electrical costs by $30-$50 per year. Not much to get excited about? That translates to over 650 pounds of reduced CO2 emissions per year for just one home computer.
It is estimated that there are 60 million home computers in the US. If all of them used the Ecobutton regularly, the reduction in CO2 emissions could reach an astounding 8.4 million tons. Add to that projection the additional millions of office computers in use every day (many of which are left running over night and all weekend).
