How to enable the power save mode on your computer

Activating the power-save function on your computer is an easy way to save energy and money. Reducing air pollution is an added bonus for those looking for small ways to positively impact climate change.

You can shave up to $90 a year off your utility bills depending on whether you're powering down a CPU and its monitor or a laptop, says Steven Ryan, program manager for office equipment at Energy Star. Savings also varies according to how long you currently leave your equipment on each day. If you rarely turn off your computer, the benefits will be greater than if you're conscious about shutting everything down when you're not using it.

So, how do you actually find the power save feature and turn it on?

• The first step is clicking on your computer's control panel. From there it depends on your operating system.
• EZ Wizard is a free Energy Star tool that will help you set the power management features on your computer.
• If you prefer to make the changes yourself, you can access operating system specific manual directions that will walk you through each step.
• Don't forget to activate both the AC (plug in) and DC (battery) power profiles for your laptop.
• The EPA suggests setting your computer to go to sleep after 30 to 60 minutes of activity. Monitors can go into hibernation after 5 to 20 minutes. Just hit a key or shake your mouse to wake it up.

Some other suggestions for maximum savings:

• Avoid using screen savers. It doesn't put your computer into sleep mode, and in some cases using a screen saver can prevent your computer from powering down. Your screen saver actually uses energy when it's on. "They're not necessary from a technological standpoint," says Ryan. "They're cute, but you really shouldn't use them if you want to save money for yourself or help the environment."
• Here's a link to the Department of Energy's guidelines for when to turn off your computer. Turning your computer on and off doesn't require more energy and it won't wear it out more quickly. It's best to turn off your computer when you're not using it for a long time, but don't feel guilty if you can't always do that. "As long as you are power managing you are pretty much there," Ryan says. "There's not a huge difference between turning your computer off completely and having it go into power mode."

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping.