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SAVING THE EARTH. SAVING YOUR MONEY
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPA 430-F-97-055
April 1998
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Why Buy
ENERGY STAR?
To Save the Earth
Every time we leave computers on when not in
use, we are wasting electricity and contributing
to air pollution. Air pollution? Most electricity
is generated by burning fossil fuels, adding
tons of pollutants to the atmosphere. These
pollutants can cause respiratory disease, smog,
and acid rain. Another pollutant, carbon
dioxide, contributes to global climate change.
Because office equipment is the fastest
growing sector of home and business energy
use, buying ENERGY SxAR-labeled products
can make an important contribution to pro-
tecting the environment.
EPA estimates if everyone bought ENERGY
SxAR-labeled office equipment instead of
conventional equipment, by the year 2010
the annual pollution prevented would be
equivalent to taking more than 6.5 million
cars off the road each year.
To Save Your Money
Office equipment is often left on 24 hours a
day, wasting both energy and money. A typical
computer, monitor, printer, fax machine, and
medium speed copier cost about $185 annu-
ally to operate (not including the cost of
paper). Operating similar equipment that
meets the ENERGY STAR criteria costs about
$97. Turning off the equipment at night can
cut the annual energy costs even further.
Over its lifetime, ENERGY SxAR-labeled office
equipment in a single home office (with a
computer, monitor, printer, and fax) can
save enough electricity to light an entire
home for more than 1 year.
ENERGY STAR is a U.S. registered mark.
How Do I
Learn More
To help you find out more about ENERGY
SxAR-labeled office equipment, EPA offers
additional fact sheets, a list of qualified
product models, and a buyer's guide for
large purchasers of equipment.
The toll-free ENERGY STAR Hotline at
1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937) also has
information on other products for your home
and office that carry the ENERGY STAR label.
Our TTY number is 1-888-588-9920.
These agencies sponsor the
ENERGY STAR Programs:
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937)
http://www. energystar.gov
U.S. Department of Energy
Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy Clearinghouse (EREC)
1-800-DOE-EREC (1-800-363-3732)
http://www. eren. doe.gov
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Computers and Other ENERGY STAR®-
Labeled Office Equipment
You may have seen the ENERGY STAR® label
on your computer but didn't realize what it
meant. ENERGY STAR-labeled office equip-
ment powers down to a "sleep" mode
when not in use. Any action—movement of the
mouse, a keyboard stroke, an incoming message,
fax, or print job—reactivates the equipment.
Because of the "sleep" mode, ENERGY STAR-
labeled equipment uses only about half as much
electricity as standard equipment. And because
manufacturers have increased the reliability of com-
ponents, your equipment will not be harmed by fre-
quently entering the "sleep" mode. Copiers go
one step further by automatically powering down
and shutting off after a set period of inactivity.
Another benefit to the low-power mode is that by
reducing the amount of heat generated, equip-
ment life can be lengthened. In offices, this
reduction in heat can translate to savings on air-
conditioning costs.
Asking for office equipment with the ENERGY
STAR label is one way to make your purchasing
decisions easier. Office equipment with the label
offers many advantages, such as:
- Contributing to less pollution
- Lowering energy bills
- Lengthening equipment life
- And, in offices, reducing air-conditioning costs
Remember to look for the ENERGY STAR label—
the symbol for energy efficiency.
ENERGY SlAR-labeled computers enter a low power "sleep" mode When idle for a period of time.
For many desktop models, the ENERGY STAR specification is 30 watts or less.
ENERGY STAR-labeled monitors also power down to a "sleep" mode of 15 watts or less after a 15 30
minute period of inactivity. If idle for a cumulative period of 70 minutes, monitors enter a "deep
sleep" mode of 8 watts or less. During this "sleep" mode, the screen will go blank but the com
puter and monitor will still draw some electricity.
ENERGY STAR-labeled printers and fax machines automatically enter a low power mode of 15-45
watts or less after a period of inactivity. Consider buying a combination printer/fax machine
which consumes half as much energy, while idle, as two stand alone products.
ENERGY STAR-labeled copiers go into a low power mode and an off mode of 5 20 watts after 30-90
minutes of inactivity, depending on copier speed. Even if a copier is frequently used during business
hours, the auto off feature will save energy by turning off the copier at night and on weekends.
ENERGY STAR-labeled scanners automatically enter a low power mode of 12 watts or less when not
in use. When the user wants to scan another image, the machine will "wake up" and resume
activity.
ifunction devices offer copying as well as printing, faxing, scanning,
and/or other capabilities. To conserve energy, they automatically power down to no more than
30 200 watts after a period of inactivity, depending on device speed.
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How a Product Qualifies
for the ENERGY STAR Label
ENERGY STAR is the label created by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) to help consumers identify products
that help save energy. Manufacturers or
retailers can volunteer to place the ENERGY
STAR label on those models that meet or
exceed energy-efficiency criteria set by EPA
and DOE. They can also use the label in
their advertising.
How to Find the
ENERGY STAR Label
For computers and other office equipment,
the ENERGY STAR label may appear on the
product itself, on advertisements, or on
packaging. If you cannot find the label, ask
the salesperson or call the toll-free ENERGY
STAR Hotline listed on the back of this
brochure. The Hotline has lists of most
makes and models that qualify for the label.
Commonly
Asked Questions
Does a screen saver help save energy?
No! Graphical screen savers are primarily
for entertainment and are not energy-
efficient features. If you do use a screen
saver, be sure to choose one that displays
images for a pre-determined period of time
and then triggers the sleep mode.
How do I turn on the power-saving
feature?
To get the energy savings, the low-power
feature must be activated so the equipment
goes to "sleep" after a period of inactivity.
Most new ENERGY STAR-labeled office
products are shipped from the factory with
the "sleep" mode turned on. If your equip-
ment does not power down, please refer to
the owner's manual or call the manufacturer
for directions on how to adjust the power
management setting. If your PC uses
Windows 95, a user interface has been pro-
vided that allows you to adjust the settings
for your monitor. (Windows NT does not
currently support power management.)
Are ENERGY SxAR-labeled computers
compatible with networks?
Most ENERGY STAR-labeled computers are
compatible with the primary network envi-
ronments (e.g., Novell NetWare, Banyan
Vines, and LAN Manager). Your network
administrator can help troubleshoot if
problems occur. Consult with the manu-
facturer before purchasing a computer to
ensure it is designed to be compatible with
your particular network environment.
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