By Jennifer Shaheen, The Technology Therapist®
As featured in Women & Biz magazine

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Green is the theme on everyone’s mind nowadays, and big businesses are finding out that going green can be helpful for the environment and their wallet(s). Company’s like Google and Hewlett Packard are paying close attention to the energy used by their computer networks. They are both using and finding ways to cut energy consumption in order to save money and help preserve the environment. But as a small business is my company really using a lot of energy? You would be surprised.

Did you know that a typical desktop computer uses about 65 to 250 watts of electricity and that does not include the monitor? Small business technology choices can make a difference. Let’s start with energy conservation. Do you leave your computers turned on all the time? When you leave your office computers and monitors on, you are wasting energy. You can cut back on frivolous energy consumption by adjusting your power settings to sleep or standby. Not only can changing the settings on your computer help conserve energy, but making a smart decision about the computer you purchase can also save on energy. Mr. Electricity, a great web site, has compared different models of Dell and Apple computers to help consumers understand which one saves on energy usage. Now you can make decisions that will work with your business and for the environment. Main stream companies like Dell and Apple are not the only options in the marketplace for energy efficient computer options, OmniPro Systems offers the EcoSys Green Desktop PC which promises to save you money on your energy bills and support you with environmentally approved peripherals.

Recycling has been an important part of the green movement for years and recycling computers has been a problem for many companies. I always recommended donating old computers rather than throwing them away. Now you can take your company’s computers to a greener level by looking in to PC’s that not only cut down on energy usage but also are completely biodegradable. MicroPro, an environmentally conscious company has been working to create green computers, keyboards, mice and monitors. This is a great beginning. I would recommend looking into these options, but please proceed with caution when making new buying decisions.

Every day we as small businesses contribute to the environmental pollution problems by wasting paper and tossing out old equipment. How about instead of buying your business applications you download them? Or looking into cutting back on what you print in your office. Going paperless is not an overnight project but it is doable. I have had the pleasure of working with a wonderful insurance company on Long Island that made that leap over a year ago. Going paperless not only saves the environment but it can also help you and your co-workers better utilize the applications you have at your fingertips. Now you are saving paper, ink cartridges, energy and the environment.

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