How big is your footprint?
If you just joined us and are wondering if your shoe size (mine is 8 ½), and footprint are related, the answer is NO. Then you would be asking yourself, what is this all about?
When I started this blog I knew that I wasn´t going to write about politics or topics related to the matter, but talking about the envioroment and how big is our impact IS NOT politics, and yes I know is trendy and everyone is talking about it, and I don`t really care about all of that. I just want to know if you have any idea how big is YOUR footprint?
It is made under UK averages but I strongly suggest you check this link, to calculate your footprint
Now you are thinking, “dude, enough with the footprint question, just tell me already”. Ok, your footprint is probably HUGHE.
Just to clear the air, I`m not the fundamentalist that wont use electricity or shower without hot water. I mean, this is a blog and in case you were wondering it takes a computer to make it work, by the way there are 4 computers in my house (yes four, 2 laptops and 2 desktops). But each and every computer has the option to tweak the Power or Energy set-up. Here are some examples:
On a Macintosh:
- From any application select the Apple menu
- Select “System Preferences…” (OS X) or “Control Panels” (OS 9) and then click on “Energy Saver”
On a Windows-based computer:
- Point your cursor at the desktop background and right-click
- Choose “Properties” from the pop up menu
- Go to the “Screen Saver” page; in the lower right-hand corner near the ENERGY STAR® logo click the “Settings” or “Power” button. This brings up another dialog box where you choose power management settings.
There are a few other things to be considered. There has been a lot of studies concerning this topic and if we round the numbers it takes around $100 to power a computer all year long 24/7. Running the same computer only 8 hours a day drops the cost by two thirds to approximately $33 a year–and the cost would drop even more if the computer is off for entire weekends as well. Turning off any technology when it isn’t in use is the single easiest thing any individual or organization can do to conserve the energy used by these machines. That means that I`m saving over $250 a year just by turning the systems off at night.
Aside from the money, your computer is emanating less CO2 and taking less power of the grid, so if you are at home or at the office please shut the computers down, you will either be saving some money for yourself or you might be helping save the planet, so what ever motivates you.
This is it for now, but I want to leave this lil graphic Greenpeace made about the companies that manufacture the electronics we buy and use everyday and how “green” such companies are. Something to think about next time you want to buy a cell phone or new game console.
