May 2009

The Environmental Assistance Office for Small Business at UNC Charlotte
9201 University City Blvd. 258 Cameron Building,
UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28233-0001
Phone number: 704-687-3968
Fax number: 704-687-3115
(Link to EAO Newsletter Archive)

In partnership with Mecklenburg County LUESA Air Quality and Solid Waste Divisions, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Mecklenburg Utility
Sponsored by the Environmental Assistance Office (EAO) for Small Business at UNC Charlotte, The Environmental Corner is designed to serve as an environmental management and pollution prevention resource.

The Environmental Corner e-Letter
May/June 2009

in this issue

*What is Green Computing?*	*Is it possible?*	*Govt. steps undertaken*
On average, the typical computer consumes around 65-250 watts to run. The money required to run a PC at this level for hours on end adds up to quite a lot if left unchecked. In order to reduce the power consumption of their computers, businesses are implementing green initiatives in the form of Green Computing.	Computers are capable of using a large amount of power when they are both active and idle, depending upon what kind of hardware they have installed. ...... The choices for Green Hardware range from a variety of monitors, printers, computer parts, and even whole computers based around energy efficiency.	The government has taken a huge step towards implementing Green Computing by providing an on-line tool called the EPEAT to compare electronic products based on environmental performance, in addition to cost and performance considerations.
*What is Energy Star?*	*Can I buy a complete green computer?*	*Can I recycle my old computer?*
Energy Star is a government-created voluntary program that monitors the power usage of an electrical device. Energy Star defines the energy efficiency of a product so that ...	Green computers aren't necessarily optimal for high-end gaming or full 3D graphic development, but for most typical office work, a Green Computer is the perfect option to help your business save some money while saving the environment as well, and there are plenty of options on the market for Green Computers.	Throwing computers out with the trash is a bad idea since they contain hazardous materials that could cause environmental problems later on in the trash dump. Instead, try eCycling your old computers.

On average, the typical computer consumes around 65-250 watts to run. The money required to run a PC at this level for hours on end adds up to quite a lot if left unchecked. In order to reduce the power consumption of their computers, businesses are implementing green initiatives in the form of Green Computing. This newsletter will help you understand more about how you can implement a Green Computing initiative in your business. Green Computing is minimizing the amount of electricity a computer requires to run. It seeks to efficiently use electricity for the operating needs within the computer. By providing the computer with the proper amount of power required, the energy

consumption can be severely reduced from what a non-green computer uses on a regular basis. Implementing a Green Computing initiative in your business begins a domino effect that benefits everyone involved. Your business saves money through the reduced demand on electricity. The power company then has reduced demands for their electricity, which allows them to reduce their output, decreasing the need to push their equipment further to meet the demands of all their customers. By reducing their output, the power company also reduces the harmful plant emissions, which will benefit the environment.

Computers are a permanent fixture in the business world. There is no denying the importance of a powerful machine when it comes to getting the job done quickly. However, just because machines are a necessity does not mean that your electrical bill has to suffer as well. Computers are capable of using a large amount of power when they are both active and idle, depending upon what kind of hardware they have installed.

Energy-efficient computing is a very real option for businesses looking to minimize their impact on the environment. The choices for Green Hardware range from a variety of monitors, printers, computer parts, and even whole computers based around energy efficiency. The choices are endless, but this newsletter will help you sift through all the options to find the best choice for your business's computing needs.

The government has taken a huge step towards implementing Green Computing by providing an on-line tool called the "Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool" or EPEAT for short. Funded by the EPA and managed by the Green Electronics Council, EPEAT was implemented in 2006 as a tool for institutions "to compare electronic products based on environmental performance, in addition to cost and performance considerations." The EPEAT provides consistency across the board when it comes to choosing the right energy-conscious computer.

The Federal Government is requiring EPEAT-registered products to be used in all federal agencies, making the government much more environmentally friendly and less wasteful of its power usage. Many electronics businesses have signed onto the EPEAT program, ensuring their products are environmentally friendly as well.

Businesses that purchase EPEAT-certified products have noticed an increase in environmental benefits from the use of these products. These benefits include:

EPEAT uses a three-level certificate system to certify which products meet or exceed the base requirements:

Bronze certificate means that the product meets the 23 required criteria.

Silver certificate means that the product meets the 23 required criteria plus 50% of the optional criteria.

Gold certificate means that the product meets the 23 required criteria plus 75% of the optional criteria.

Saving 13.7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power 1.2 million U.S. homes for a year
Saving 24.4 million metric tons of materials, equivalent to the weight of 189 million refrigerators
Preventing release of 56.5 million metric tons of air pollution, including 1.07 million metric tons of global warming gases -- the equivalent of removing 852,000 cars from the road for a year
Preventing release of 118,000 metric tons of water pollution
Reducing toxic material use by 1,070 metric tons, including enough mercury to fill 157,000 household fever thermometers
Avoiding the disposal of 41,100 metric tons of hazardous waste

Many computer products, including monitors, have an Energy Star logo somewhere on them, but just what is Energy Star? Energy Star is a government-created voluntary program that monitors the power usage of an electrical device. Energy Star defines the energy efficiency of a product so that the product can then be determined if it meets the standards of the Energy Star initiative. Energy Star certification is a required subset of the EPEAT initiative. The goal of this program is to minimize the energy usage of a computer to reduce the environmental impact with a focus on power management. This includes a "low power" mode for computers sitting idle that can quickly return to normal upon the user's return.

The Energy Star website says that "if all computers sold in the United States meet the ENERGY STAR requirements, the savings in energy costs will grow to about $2 billion each year and greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by the equivalent of those from 2 million cars." Many different computer devices

have the Energy Star logo on them and looking for the logo when purchasing your computer equipment could help save your company a lot of money in the long run.

Green computers aren't necessarily optimal for high-end gaming or full 3D graphic development, but for most typical office work, a Green Computer is the perfect option to help your business save some money while saving the environment as well, and there are plenty of options on the market for Green Computers.

Starting at $445, Dell offers a desktop computer called the "Studio Hybrid" that runs at a minimum 26 watts while sitting idle and 44 watts while running at full speed. This system is Energy Star 4.0 certified and received a Gold rating from EPEAT It is made from 95% recyclable materials and contains 75% less printed documentation. It even comes with a self-recycling kit to encourage the user to recycle it once they are done with the computer and ready to upgrade.

Lenovo offers a Green PC called the "ThinkCentre M58p" that doesn't quite save as much power as the Studio Hybrid but is more focused towards common usage. At most, this system uses 65 watts and 50 watts when idling. This PC is also EPEAT Gold-certified and Energy Star 4.0 compliant. This computer's price starts at $750.

For Macintosh users, Apple's Mac Minis offer extensive environmental savings. When it is idle, the Mac Mini uses 13 watts. The Mac Mini also achieved EPEAT Gold certification and is Energy Star 5.0 complaint long before the due date.

So it's time to buy a new computer, say one of those Green Computers mentioned previously. What do you do with your old computer? Throwing computers out with the trash is a bad idea since they contain hazardous materials that could cause environmental problems later on in the trash dump. Instead, try eCycling your old computers.

eCycling is a way of getting rid of your old computers while still helping the environment. Basically, it's trying to find ways to reuse old computer equipment, and there are plenty of ways available for businesses to do that.

Before beginning the eCycling process, make sure to erase your computer's hard drives. Most donation companies will do this, but it's always smart and safe to format your computer's hard drive before handing it over to someone else. Most Operating Systems have a format option on their install disc that you can use. This way your customer and company information can be assured to remain private and confidential.

First, why not just reuse your old computer in the company? Use it to help display information for customers, or keep it as a public computer for customers in the waiting room.

Second, see if the computer manufacturer has a Take Back policy. Many high-profile companies like Dell, Sony, Apple, IBM/Lenovo, Toshiba, and such have a program for taking back old computers and, in some cases, offer discounts for new computers when old ones are returned.

Third, donate your computer to a second-hand store. Companies like Goodwill take in old computers and refit them for resale to customers. By doing this, you are helping people gain access to computers that would not normally have the financial ability to buy new ones.

There are plenty of other options out there for eCycling. The EPA provides a large list of sites and businesses with eCycling options for businesses.

Environmental Assistance Office (EAO) for Small Business

The Environmental Assistance Office for Small Business provides non-regulatory, client-confidential pollution prevention assistance to small businesses in the greater Charlotte region. The EAO is designed to assist regional businesses in their efforts to voluntarily prevent pollution. The EAO staff can provide timely assistance for pollution prevention planning, including information about industry-specific case studies, waste-specific case studies, and new technologies. The office provides links of resources to needs between the region's business community, government, municipality, and university. If there is a particular issue or question you would like to see in an upcoming edition, please send an e-mail to EAOforSB@email.uncc.edu.

Contact Information:

Environmental Assistance Office for Small Business:

9201 University City Blvd. 258 Cameron Building, UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28233-0001

Phone number: 704-687-3968 Fax number: 704-687-3115

Email: EAOforSB@email.uncc.edu

Services:

Assistance with Air Permits - Assistance for small businesses in completing paperwork for EPA air permits
Educational Materials - Educational pamphlet, brochures, flyers, and other materials to relate facts on pollution prevention.
Educational Outreach - Develop educational outreach campaigns and presentations for the public or employee training.
University Resources - Library information, faculty expertise, student projects and research at both graduate and undergraduate levels.

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