Earth Day tips from En Pointe Tec

While reducing carbon footprint and environmental impact may not be one of the biggest issues facing companies this year, research analyst firms report that reducing expenses and increasing efficiency are most likely on the list. From paperless documentation software to free print cartridge recycling and the virtualisation movement, going green is shown to be easier and cost effective.

Even minor changes within an organisation can have a positive effect on the environment and, as an added bonus, cut down costs. For example, being more cognisant of employee output, and cutting down on needless waste, can help significantly reduce emissions.

Yesterday, 22 April, was Earth Day, marking the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. In recognition of this event, IT solutions provider En Pointe Technologies has outlined three quick and easy steps that organisations can implement within their office environment to help them go green - not just for Earth Day, but every day:

• Power management: Leaving computers on during off-hours wastes energy and drives up facilities costs. Automate and manage power options in Windows network Active Directory so that all devices in the network enter sleep mode during off hours, saving power and money.
• Pull printing: The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year. Requiring user authentication at the printer can significantly cut down on paper wasted when the job is printed, but never retrieved.
• Power down: Businesses lose over $1 billion a year in wasted energy costs. Keep all devices plugged into a power strip and switch off before long periods of absence to avoid accruing what is termed ‘vampire power’, or power leaked when in standby mode.

Visit www.enpointe.com/green for even more tips on greening an organisation.