Two more ways to increase energy efficiency in a legal department, and startling facts

Accustomed behaviors waste electricity; changed behaviors can save it. For three examples of what is easy to change, I commend Joe Howie’s article in Legal Tech. News, May 2009 at 40.

The first tool is the Smart Strip Power Strip, from Bits Ltd., which “turns off peripheral devices when the strip senses that a computer is turned off.” Thus, each individual office that has its own printer, speakers, second monitor, or external hard drive could power them down when the occupant turns off the computer. You do power down your computer when you go home, don’t you?

The second tool of Howie is solar battery chargers. He lists Solio Classic Universal Hybrid Chargers from Better Energy Systems, as well as the Solar ePower Battery Charger from Wagan Tech, both of which can charge cell phones and the latter of which can recharge AA and AAA batteries. General counsel should consider equipping their cell phone users with power sources from renewable energy.

Did you know that a coal plant will burn about 900 pounds of coal and release almost five tons of CO2 into the atmosphere to keep a single 100-watt light bulb burning all year, at an average cost to the consumer of $93.29 (See my post of March 11, 2009: conservation for law departments with 7 references.). You do turn off lights, don’t you?