Faculty & Staff

Best Practices for Faculty/Staff @ the Office

1. Talk with your IT staff first

• Find out the energy-saving practices in your unit
• Ask for recommendations on how to proceed

2. Use “sleep” settings when your computer is on

• Learn how to set power management settings:
• Monitor/display sleep: Turn off after 15 minutes or less
• Turn off hard drives/hard disk sleep: 15 minutes or less
• System standby/sleep: After 30 minutes or less

3. Logoff when away

• Continue to save more energy; the computer will go to sleep more reliably
• Remember to close unneeded programs before logging off; some programs may prevent sleep mode

4. Turn off your computer, monitor, and other devices when not in use

• Save more energy than sleep mode
• Ask your IT or facilities staff for a power strip for speakers, scanners, chargers, and other devices; recommend “smart” power strips that have combination outlets (manually switched and always-on), motion sensors, and other advanced features
• Flip the switch on only when equipment is needed

Plugged-in electronics continue to draw power; unplug unused equipment!

5. Save resources—reconsider printing

• Reduce paper usage
• Print only final copies
• Print double-sided and/or two-up
• Try narrower margins
• Avoid printing unnecessary e-mails
• Work with your IT staff to consolidate printers

6. Reuse and responsibly recycle computer equipment

• Give older, but working, computers to other U-M departments
• Post offerings to the UM-ECycle mail group
• Transfer the computer asset to the new department via e-mail
• Send truly obsolete gear to Property Disposition to be disposed of properly
• Contact Occupational Safety and Environmental Health to pick up e-waste accumulated up to one year
• Download this brochure to learn more about regulated recycling programs for light bulbs, batteries, mercury

Best Practices for Faculty & Staff @ Home

1. Buy smart

Screen savers do NOT save energy

• Purchase Energy-Star 5.0 and EPEAT-rated equipment
• Buy a laptop over a desktop for significantly better energy savings

2. Turn off your computer, monitor, and other devices when not in use

• Save more energy than sleep mode

Plugged-in electronics continue to draw power; unplug unused equipment!

• Plug gadgets into power strips and keep them off when not in use
• Choose “smart” power strips that have combination outlets (manually switched and always-on), motion sensors, and other advanced features

3. Use “sleep” settings when your computer is on

• Learn how to set power management settings:
• Monitor/display sleep: Turn off after 15 minutes or less
• Turn off hard drives/hard disk sleep: 15 minutes or less
• System standby/sleep: After 30 minutes or less

4. Save resources—reconsider printing

• Reduce paper usage
• Print only final copies of assignments
• Print double-sided
• Try narrower margins, if it doesn’t conflict with report style
• Keep printer off—only turn it on when needed

5. Reuse and responsibly recycle computer equipment

• Sell it
• Donate it; try freecycle.org or a2ecycle.org
• Recycle it; visit michigan.gov/deq to find out where/how to recycle electronic waste