Sleeping and Savina Wi " EIMEI uipmentf SAVING THE EARTH. SAVING YOUR MONEY U. S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA 430-F-97-055 April 1998 ------- 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 ------- 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. ------- 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. ------- |