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Computers can suck up a whole lot of power. Many times, people will leave them running all day and all night for a range of reasons, not the least of which is because they simply forget to them shut down.
Even in sleep mode, computers use up a lot of energy. But there are easy solutions—even easier than having an eco-button—for sending your computer into sleep mode more quickly to cut back on its energy consumption, or shutting it down altogether at a scheduled time so that phantom power is avoided.
Here are seven downloadable software programs that take the effort out of conserving energy wherever you can.
Power Manager
This software is specific to Macs, and geared towards offices. It allows you to automatically switch your MacBook off at predetermined times so that phantom power use is eliminated. Scheduling for sleep modes and power downs is made simple.
Auto Shut Down
This very simple program shuts down your computer automatically, and is for users who just want something super simple. You can choose to have the computer shut down after a certain length of inactivity, or at a scheduled time.
Auto Power-on and Shut-down 2.20
This is a slightly more interesting download that allows you to set your computer for energy efficiency. You can control scheduling for power on, stand by, hibernation, shut down and rebooting. It has some fun features that make saving energy a little more interesting than simply scheduled shut downs.
Auto Shutdown Genius
Like the previous programs, this software focuses on scheduling shutdown, log offs, hibernation modes and so on. It helps out with cleaning up your computer during shutdown with the ability to clean up temporary files and the recycle bin so that the next time you start up, things will run a bit more smoothly.
TweakVista
This is for Windows Vista users. It allows you to alter Vista settings to maximize a PC's efficiency. It includes recommendations and assessment/benchmarking tools so you can see how your computer is doing compared to others. It also lets you calculate your PC's energy expenses and carbon footprint, so trimming energy use is much more interactive and fun.
CO2 Saver 1.0.0.15
This is a pretty cool program that puts the CO2 you didn't create right in front of you so you can get that feeling of satisfaction that comes with knowing you did something good. It is very user-friendly and takes only a moment to set up. There are pre-set options for quick programming, or you can do a customized set up for energy saving auto-sleep modes and shut downs.
Edison
This is one of the most entertaining of the downloads. It is completely free, which is a big plus. Like others, you can schedule your sleep modes and power down modes, but it offers some fun ways to choose your schedule. You can decide what actions to take based on an "efficiency slider" where you choose how much energy savings you want to achieve. You can also see your savings and CO2 emission reductions, and compete with other users.
More on Conserving Computer Energy Consumption:
PC Buyers Might Get Efficiency Tags to Help with Computer Purchases
As Cute As An EcoButton: Computer Energy Saver
Green Your Laptop Settings
How Energy-efficient Electronics Work
Is it better to turn my computer off when I am not using it or leave it on all the time?
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