Do you keep your computer on when you leave work or find serenity in that neat screensaver with an ocean-bottom background and fish swimming through the frame?

Do you print memos for your co-workers day after day … after day?

If you answered yes to any of these, you’re not alone. But energy is wasted at businesses every day by such practices – and energy means money.

Doing simple things at work, such as printing documents only when necessary or turning off your computer when you go home, can save money and help the environment, said Mike Porter, general manager of Microsoft Corp.’s Midwest Area Small and Mid-market Solutions and Partners Group.

With the economy in a slump, more businesses might want to consider going green, Porter said.

"The technology’s there," he said. "There’s just no reason for not going in that direction."

To illustrate his point, Porter cited results from a survey by the Energy Awareness Campaign, conducted by 1E, a Windows Systems Management software provider.

Of about 104 million office computers in the country, about 31 million are left on at night. The energy used translates into about 15 million tons of carbon dioxide each year – which totals about $1.7 billion wasted, Porter said.

Porter suggested a couple adjustments anyone can make. Along with turning your computer off at night, don’t use a screen saver – change the setting to "blank." Unplug charging devices when they’re not in use.

As for larger technological changes, Porter suggests using remote working programs, which take less of a toll on the environment and save on travel costs. These programs allow employees in one office to connect with employees in another through video, voice or text through computer software such as Microsoft Unified Communications.

Many businesses are just starting to push for more energy efficiency from their information systems, said Greg Michael, technical operations manager of Source One Solutions, a local information technology company.

Especially for small businesses, making the decision to invest in newer equipment may take some time, Michael said.

"They have to decide whether or not it’ll pay off in the long run," he said.

Some businesses have had green practices in place for years. Verizon Communications Inc. uses teleconferencing and telecommuting tools, spokesman Lee Gierczynski said. The tools reduce carbon emissions – from planes and cars – and reduce travel costs, he said.

Although he’s not sure just how much money Verizon saves through green efforts, Gierczynski estimated teleconferencing and telecommuting tools save 62 hours in commuting and about $1,200 per employee per year.

Clifford Clarke is the former chief information officer for the city of Fort Wayne and now heads C² Information Technology Advisors LLC. Clarke said getting rid of an old computer system can save time, energy and money.

It may seem like a big investment, he said, but it’s worth it – especially if the old computer system regularly breaks down.

"Think about the time wasted when you get a blue screen," he said.

"Cloud computing" is a trend Clark recommends his clients consider. Users run applications over the Internet instead of installing a program on each computer. E-mail accounts through Web sites like Google or Yahoo are examples of cloud computing.

Businesses can also take steps to establish a paperless office, Porter said. Along with e-mailing instead of printing, employees can use programs such as Microsoft SharePoint to share and edit files within a company, he said.

The need to keep customers’ information as private as possible pushed JPMorgan Chase Bank to "go paperless," spokeswoman Nancy Norris said. Because of their need for privacy, banks were among the first to start implementing such green practices, she said.

Norris doesn’t know how much money the company has saved through environmentally friendly programs, but she said the bank recycled 18,168 more metric tons of paper in 2008 than in 2005.

"Not only is it good for the environment, but it’s cost-saving," she said.

kshawgo@jg.net