CO2 Saver

Mom says that is one of those things that will make people go hmmm when they read it. If you are even the least bit curious about the title, then read on.

CO2 Saver is a program that manages your computer's power usage when it's idle, by adjusting your Windows Power Management settings. By reducing energy and decreasing the demand on your power utility, you use less electricity. Less electricity used means fewer harmful emissions and greenhouse gases such as CO2 are released into the atmosphere. And you know what else is cool about this? Less electricity means less money out of pocket. This program will actually save you money and it's free. Pretty smart, huh?

You may be wondering how it calculates how much energy you are saving. They use averages, because as you know, each computer is different. According to their website, CO2 Saver detects the type of computer you're using (for example, desktop vs. laptop) and uses that information to help calculate how much energy it normally uses (and how much the program will save). In the Options menu under "Computer Details," you have the ability to enter more information about your computer and monitor(s) so this can be taken into account, as power consumption also varies widely across monitor types and sizes.

Okay, now for some slightly bad news. The program currently only works on Windows platforms (XP and Vista). They are working on developing a program for other platforms so look for it in the not too distant future. So for all you Windows users, head on over to http://co2saver.snap.com/ and start saving money and CO2.