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As we head back to school, our thoughts turn to paper, pencils, and backpacks. Sale ads draw our attention from the great outdoors to the impressive lineup of new computers. Looking over the newest technology, we realize that our role as caretakers of God's earth extends to our choice of computers and how we use them.

The most obvious environmental impact of a computer is the energy it uses. We know that laptops use much less energy than comparable desktops, and flat-screens win out over CRT monitors. Finding the greenest way to meet our needs is easier said than done, though, with all the options available on the market.

Luckily for us, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started the Energy Star program back in 1992, labeling computers that shifted into a low-energy "sleep" mode after sitting unused for a while. As sleep mode became common over the years, the voluntary program has become stricter, and just last summer they raised the bar yet again with the Energy Star 4. 0 label. To qualify, new computers must now have a more efficient internal power supply as well as low energy draws during use, sleep mode, and at standby level - what we call would call "off".

Power Computing

Macintosh and PC users can all save energy by activating the Power Management features which come standard on their computers. The EPA recommends setting automatic system standby or hibernation after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity. Hibernation tends to take longer to reactivate, but it helps to avoid losing unsaved work.

Some systems have more options, and laptop users should activate the energy savings in the AC profile as well as the DC/battery profile. Power management is especially important in computers that are snazzed-up for gaming as they tend to be power hungry.

Many of us assume that the screen saver is an energy saver, too, but in most cases we would be wrong. For the best savings, set the monitors to sleep when idle. Some computing websites note that you might want to set both the monitor and hard drive to sleep when playing CDs for long periods of time.

Realizing that "Off" is actually a standby mode with phantom energy draw, concerned users plug the computer and peripherals into a power strip. When our computing is done, we should shut the system down and click the power strip off. Smart strips can make this easier.

Life Cycle Stars

Energy Star isn't our only indicator of earth-friendly products. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) looks at a mix of environmental impacts, and computers with earth-friendly life cycles earn the bronze, silver, or gold classification. EPEAT was designed for large-scale consumers, but individuals can also benefit from the information.

In addition to energy conservation, the EPEAT system looks at reducing toxins and increasing renewable, recycled, and recyclable materials in the products and their packaging. More points are awarded for increased life span and upgradability, which is important since the majority of a computer's resource drain occurs before it ever hits the shelf. Corporate performance and recycle-friendly designs are also evaluated.

How we put our computers to use also affects their ultimate impact. We surf the web, bank online, and study, share, and communicate through the internet. Huge servers are working round the clock using massive amounts of energy to enable our little home computers to be so useful. As good stewards, we should support companies who "green" their data centers through renewable power and developments in computing, power-supply, and cooling efficiencies.

Step by Step

Our green computing efforts can extend to our printers, too. Whether we have an Energy Star unit or not, we look closely at our true needs before clicking the print icon. Back-up hard copies of important work can be critical, but many documents and pictures can be enjoyed just as well by viewing the screen. Free software downloaded from GreenPrint is nifty because paper and ink is saved in printing by skipping unwanted pages and images. When possible, we can also set our computer defaults for minimal margins and double- sided prints.

Looking over our back-to-school list, we look for our green options, including the possibility of a simple upgrade. We research energy conservation and green computing to minimize our footprint. Resource savings can be found in using eBooks, podcast and MP3 downloads compared to print media and CDs in jewel cases. Fuelintensive travel is cut by conducting business across the internet.

Our computer use might reflect and enhance our ideals by adding humanitarian "click daily" links or inspirational quotations to email signature blocks. Even more so, as churches expand their presence on the web, they can see enhanced outreach, member communications, and program growth. Mission projects benefit from worldwide networking as well.

Step by step our journey continues for His Creation.

Vicki Coulter is a volunteer with The Climate Project and gives Environmental Stewardship presentations in Middle Georgia.