Home Office Learning Center

Help Your PC Use Less Energy
By simply adjusting the power management settings on your computer you can be more energy efficient. All you need to do is set your system to go to standby and hibernation modes when not being used.

To do so, just follow this path:
Click on Start, then mouse over Settings, to Control Panel, to Power Options and click to open the window. From there you'll click on the Power Schemes tab and select Minimal Power Management from the drop down box. Next, under Settings for Max Battery Power Scheme, make sure that your monitor is set to turn off automatically after 15 minutes of idle time, and to go into standby mode after half an hour.

Use Less Paper
It's no secret that using less paper is a great way to conserve and ultimately use less energy. Simply printing on both sides of a page can reduce your paper usage by half. Many new printers can print double-sided; or, you can perform the task manually by flipping the page and re-inserting it.

You can also cut down on the amount of paper you use with digital document options. For example, get in the habit of previewing your pages before you print so you can cut down on the number of reprints you'll have to make.

Or skip paper altogether and use your PC to keep track of to-dos and lists. Microsoft Office OneNote^®  2007, found within the Home and Student or Ultimate editions of Microsoft Office 2007 or sold separately, is a great option for this as it acts as a digital notebook to electronically manage and organize not only your text notes, but video, audio, and pictures too! Plus, you can easily search, archive and copy your ideas onto your PC.

Finally, wherever possible, conduct paper-based business electronically. Investigate paperless options for receiving financial statements and making payments — most financial institutions offer options for quick and easy sign-up.

You can also turn in your old and outdated technology items at various drop-off locations. Dell and Goodwill Industries have partnered together to create RECONNECT, a free program for consumers to reuse and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics — all you have to do is drop-off your unwanted electronics at your participating local Goodwill store or drop-off site and they'll take care of the rest.

Recycle Your Ink or Toner Cartridges
When replacing your ink or toner cartridges, make sure that your used cartridges are recycled. When you order ink or toner from Dell, we send you prepaid postage bags to send in your old cartridges for recycling.

The Green PC
Significant strides have been made to make PCs more energy efficient and eco-friendly. Meet Studio Hybrid -- Dell’s greenest consumer desktop PC. It uses about 70% less power than a typical desktop, and meets Energy Star^®  4.0 standards with an 87% efficient power supply. Even the packaging is made from 95% recyclable materials. Plus, it comes with a system-recycling kit, so you can help preserve and protect the environment.

Stylish and Eco-friendly Laptop Cases
Even your style can have substance. The Designed for Dell Facets collection offers stylish laptop cases constructed out of PET recycled plastic. Each case features 100% recycled exterior material, made from the equivalent of 60 recycled plastic bottles (per case) that have been crushed, cleansed and processed into fabric.