Low-Carbon Office

If one third of textbooks can be recycled, then we can reduce paper waste by 200 thousand tons save 260 thousand tons standard coal, and reduce CO₂ emissions by 660 thousand tons. Printing on both sides can reduce costs as well as emissions. If this is applied to 10% of printers, then, we can reduce paper waste by 51 thousand tons paper, save 64 thousand tons standard coal and reduce CO₂ emissions by 164 thousand tons. 

(1) Use computers and printers properly

Ø For short periods when you are not using the computer, enable SLEEP mode. By doing this, we can save 50% electricity.

Ø Replace CRT with LCD, and 50% electricity can be saved.

Ø Turn off programs, loudspeakers, and printers which are not in use

Ø Dim the screen

Ø Cut off printers’ electricity when they are not in use, then each printer can save 10 kilowatt hours of electricity and reduce CO₂  by 10kg.

(2) Special tips for laptops

Ø Discharge the laptop’s electricity completely.

Ø Use as few external devices as possible

Ø Turn off devices and connectors not in use

Ø Turn off the screen saver.

Ø When using the battery, under WindowsXP, the CPU will lower its frequency automatically with Speedstep, which will save 40% energy.

(3) Use recycled paper

For every 1 ton of paper production, using raw material in paper production will cost 40% more energy than producing recycled paper. A piece of recycled paper can save 1.8g standard coal and reduce CO₂ emissions by 4.7g. If we replace 2% of paper with recycled paper, then we can save 452 thousand ton standard coal and reduce CO₂ emissions by 1164 thousand tons every year.

(4) Read e-books

Replace print books with e-books and e-mails with paper letters. Each e-mail can reduce CO₂ emissions by 52.6g. If one third of the letters nationwide are replaced by e-mails, then we can save 39 thousand sheets of paper and 50 thousand standard coal and reduce 129 thousand CO₂ emissions every year.