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Switch Off Campaign

What is the Switch Off Campaign?

The Switch Off campaign is an energy-saving initiative which encourages council employees to switch off lights and appliances such as computers, photocopiers and printers when not in use.  The campaign aims to address the behavioural aspect of energy-saving and reduce energy consumption in the four Dublin local authorities; Dublin City Council, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, South Dublin County Council and Fingal County Council.

Current Situation:

Codema calculates that €65,000 is wasted every year through lights and office appliances being left on in the evening in all Dublin local authorities.  This is the equivalent of over 400 tonnes of the greenhouse gas CO2.  This conservative estimate only accounts for local authority head offices.

Why Should I Switch Off?

As a local authority staff member, you are a vital part of this campaign.  By switching off lights and appliances such as computers, photocopiers and printers when not needed, you can help to prevent thousands of Euro being needlessly wasted by your department every year, while helping to protect the environment.

Tips for 'Switching Off' and Saving Energy:

• If possible, try taking the stairs instead of the lift.  It uses less energy and it’s healthier, too!
• Switch lights off if not needed.  A florescent tube uses 500 times more energy if left on for 15 minutes than the energy required to restart it.
• Lighting an empty office overnight wastes enough energy to heat water for 1000 cups of coffee.
• Please ensure that you shut down your PC properly before you leave the office.  Leaving any equipment on ‘stand by’ mode will still use energy and should be switched off instead.
• By switching off office equipment you can save up to 50% of the costs.
• If you are the last one to leave the office in the evening, check that lights and office equipment are switched off properly and that your colleagues’ PCs are shut down correctly.
• Avoid using screen savers. It is far more efficient to use the power down settings available, or switch off your computer monitor when away from your desk.
• Switch appliances off if not needed, rather than leaving them on standby. This will save up to 20% of your appliances’ energy use.
• When the heating is on, make sure windows are closed. This is the simplest way to keep heating efficient.
• Avoid the use of overhead lighting when there is sufficient daylight, desk top lamps with energy saving bulbs can be used if extra light is needed.
• Run photocopiers in batches to ensure that the photocopier does not spend more time than needed switching between high power and sleep modes.

Read all news stories about the Switch Off campaign by clicking here.