51: Turn off your computer when you're not using it by ihough

Every time you complete this action, you will reduce emissions by an estimated 2 lbs. CO₂e.

Turning your computer off instead of leaving it running all night can save 58 kWh and $6.17 each year. Ok it’s not much, but every bit counts!

If you have a Mac, you can schedule it to turn off, sleep, or turn on at a specific time — this avoids your having to wait for the computer to boot up in the morning! Go to System Preferences, Energy Saver, and click the “Schedule…” button.

Setting a PC to turn on at a specific time is a little trickier. You may be able to do this through the setup program. Turn your computer on and watch the screen. A prompt will tell you which key to press to enter setup. Once you’re in setup, browse the menus to see if there is an autostart option. You can also use Windows’ Scheduled Tasks tool — see this article.

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