The Green Campus Initiative is always top of mind when the OITR is planning new strategies and replacing old equipment. Adelphi's OITR and its environmentally friendly practices were featured in the September 2007 issue of Ed Tech: Focus on Higher Education magazine.

One of those methods is using Centurion Technologies software to remotely shut down more than 750 of Adelphi's computers in Garden City and the Manhattan Center. Computers in classroom labs are scheduled to shut down one hour after the last class ends, while computers in the libraries, Cyber Café, and other campus common areas are shut down when those facilities close for the night. They are controlled remotely by software, and the shut-down schedules are easily edited when class or facility schedules change.

"LIPA asked us to look for ways to save energy", says Gary Kushnick, Manager of Customer Services. Since manually shutting down that many computers was inefficient, he found that Centurion's CompuGuard Control Center had the capabilities to handle the job and "saw an opportunity to have a significant effect" on the University's energy consumption. Kushnick calculates that 8 hours of shutdown time saves 2,520 kilowatts per night compared to keeping the computers and monitors in sleep mode. More than $100,000 per year has been saved in energy costs since the software was implemented.

This summer, the department began switching bulky standalone servers to compact blade systems, saving on electricity, hard drives, and cooling resources for each former individual system. Storage of data is also consolidated, decreasing our overall hardware use.

The Printer Management Program has been very successful in curbing the rampant overuse of printing resources; gone are the abandoned mounds of waste paper that piled up in computer labs. Working closely with the Student Government Association, a program was implemented that allots students 500 free pages per semester, and they can add money into their accounts as needed for additional resources.

A laser toner recycling program for administration is now being facilitated by Adelphi's Mail Room and our new printing services partner, AM Exclusive. Inkjet toner should be returned by individuals to the vendor using a prepaid label which is usually included in the original box.

Technology Tips on How to Eat Up Less Energy Put your computer in sleep mode or turn it off completely when not in use. Some tips from the U.S. Department of Energy: The small surge in energy when a computer starts up is still less than the energy used when a computer is running for long periods. Consider turning off the monitor if you aren't going to use your PC for more than 20 minutes. Turn off both the CPU and monitor if you're not going to use them for more than 2 hours. Don’t use screen savers—they don't "save" energy, and actually make your computer use more energy than sleep mode. Plus, if you have a screen saver, your sleep feature might not activate. Sleep mode uses 70-90% less energy than when your computer is on. For electronic devices and other appliances you don't use daily (such as chargers, external hard drives), connect them to a surge protector separate from those machines or electronics you do use every day. Switch off the surge protector when you're not using them. If you don't use a power strip, unplug extra equipment when it's not in use (even when they're turned off they're still drawing power). Run software and security updates during the day to avoid leaving PCs on overnight. Set printers to sleep mode. They return to active status quickly when new print jobs are submitted. When buying your next computer, consider making it a laptop model. They often use less than 1/4 of the energy of their desktop counterparts. To maximize savings with a laptop, unplug or put the AC adapter on a power strip that can be turned off (or will turn off automatically); the transformer in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the laptop is not plugged into the adapter. Replace CRT monitors with LCDs; they use one-half to two-thirds of the energy, plus they are easier on your eyes. If you're in the market for new products, look for ones with the Energy Star label, which means they meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy. Americans saved $14 billion in 2006 through the program. When should you turn off the lights? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, for those relatively inefficient incandescent bulbs, you should turn them off almost anytime you're leaving a room. (Only 10–15% of the electricity they consume results in light—the rest is turned into heat). For more efficient fluorescent lights, you'll conserve energy if you turn them off for when you're leaving a room for more than 15 minutes.

For more information about Adelphi's Green Initiatives, visit: http://www.adelphi.edu/greenau/