The Fourth Annual Power IT Down Day will be held Friday, August 26, as members of government and industry make an effort shut down all electronic equipment (computers, printers, monitors) upon leaving the office to save on energy costs and help the environment.
Power IT Down Day is sponsored by Intel, HP, Citrix and GTSI. To help show how energy savings can be put too good use, the sponsors will make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project. Last year, the companies donated $60,000.
HP Public Sector Marketing Manager Barbara Adams told FedScoop that Power Down IT Day saw an increase in government participation last year after already making a huge impact on HP employees during the program’s first few years.
Of course, the day goes beyond just the savings of one day of shutting down electronic equipment (although with this year’s event being on a Friday, the energy savings go through the weekend), but to hopefully encourage people to power down IT when leaving the office each day.
Listen:
[audio:https://fedscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2011_08_BJAdams.mp3|titles=Power IT Down Day: Barbara Adams (HP)]Intel Director of Federal Marketing Nigel Ballard compared the initiative to that of a smoker trying to quit: If they can go one day without a cigarette they can make it a second day and are on their way to creating a positive habit.
“Turning your computer off during Power IT Down Day is no more or less important than voting when it’s your turn to vote, and I don’t say that lightly. Singularly, it may not be that important, but when everyone gets up and does it, the change can be dramatic,” Ballard said.
Listen:
[audio:https://fedscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2011_08_Power-It-Down-Nigel-Ballard-Intel.mp3|titles=Power It Down: Nigel Ballard (Intel)]For more information on Power Down IT Day, visit www.poweritdown.org or connect on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
