India is considered a third world country and the US a first world country. Now imagine that we, as a people inhabiting one planet are now desiring to form 5th world countries- ones that put people and planet before anything else. We are not there yet, but the third world countries are closer to that reality than the so called developed nations.

Let’s get our priorities straight- planet, people, then profit.

However, I’m tired of these sort of articles that imply that the solutions are simple and everyone can do them. These solutions are watered down and assume everyone fits into the same mold. All they do is make the people, who want to be perfect at whatever the list solves, feel frustrated at the fact that no one else seems to have their problem. They feel like an outsider.

Rather than offer the simple solutions, offer a venue for people what people are really searching for — answers to the more complex scenarios.

For example, I worked in an IT firm that told everyone to leave their computers running 24/7, even at weekends, because of patches that were automatically send out to update critical pieces of software. And as you say, when the power goes off, so does all the saved settings…

That’s a definite challenge to the people making these devices. And I don’t see it as insurmountable by any means. But as it is right now, it’s a problem and it’s slap-bang in the way of reducing wasted energy.

Which is why I’d push the question right back to the manufacturers. Why make things that require constant power? Computers remember what’s on them when we turn them off – why can’t all appliances do the same? Virus scans and software updates are getting less obtrusive by the year, but they still make our machines wheeze and groan as they update (speaking as a PC-user here, though). Is that necessary? And so on.

The technology encourages us to leave things on when we’re not there. And that’s just daft.

I want to conserve, but I find a lot of these posts about how we should just unplug everything a bit too simplistic. I always feel judged. Perhaps instead of just repeating the same old same old redundant obvious rhetoric, some folks start coming up with some alternatives for those of us who live in the real world which doesn’t fit nicely into a box of easy solutions?

Dear Hardware Manufacturers: it’d be really nice if you all agreed to redefine Off as actually meaning Off. That way, we’ll spend less on our bills and be able to afford more of your products. Blanket win.