The Switch It Off campaign was launched during the 2009 Arts London Go Green Week. The goal is to reduce the amount of energy wasted needlessly at the University.
As a large institution with many energy-hungry buildings, the University’s carbon footprint is high. We want to do our bit to help conserve the planet’s resources by reducing the amount of energy that we use.
One very easy way that we can significantly reduce our energy consumption is by each person taking responsibility for their own electrical equipment and switching it off when it is not in use and overnight.
We want to encourage all staff and students to help with sustainability issues by switching off lights, computers, printers, photocopiers and any other equipment/ appliances, not only at the end of the day, but also, wherever practical, when you are out to lunch, at a long meeting or simply not using them. If you don’t want to power off your computer when away from your desk for a short time why not switch off your monitor?
Collectively we can make a massive difference to the amount of energy that we use if these measures became standard practice across the university.
Some facts around energy use from The Environment Agency:
- A monitor left switched on overnight wastes enough energy to laser print 800 A4 pages. Switching computers and screens off does not damage them or reduce their life.
- A photocopier left on overnight wastes enough energy to make 5,300 A4 copies.
- Don’t leave electrical items on standby; “on average, televisions left on standby mode consume up to 20% of their full power.
- Lighting an empty office overnight wastes enough energy to heat water for 1000 cups of coffee.
- Duplexing (i.e. double sided photocopying) can save up to 75% in energy consumption.
- Only boil enough water in the kettle as you need to save energy and water.