I’m going to go the route of a public service announcement today, one which can hopefully save you some green as well… which is always good.

One thing we can all do to help the common good is practice conservation. While you read this, consider what computer equipment you have running versus what you are using. If you have several computers and/or printers/scanners/etc. running, are you using them frequently enough to warrant them constantly running? These are questions addressed in this fantastic article, Extreme energy makeover: Home office edition.

Basically, the author goes through his entire office setup and examines the energy use of each device. He then weighs the energy use against the benefits to drastically reduce his energy consumption. The end result is drastic savings in both energy and energy costs. By reducing the power usage, money is saved both directly and indirectly (reduced air conditioning costs, etc.). While I think the author goes a bit to the extreme (hence the title I suppose) in some cases, overall I think this article is right on… so much so that I have already started to use some of his ideas in my home setup.

Every little bit we can save helps. Remember the problems we create today will have to be dealt with by the next generation and just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. So be smart and practical and your contributions can help save you a lot more than money.