Save Energy With Smart Power Strip

When you turn off your computer chances are good that you don't turn off your router, cable modem, or other peripherals. This new power strip saves you the trouble.

I am privileged to work in a school district that is incredibly aware of its energy use. Through a series of energy saving initiatives the district has saved millions in energy costs over the few years that the conservation program has been active. One of the major areas of energy waste that remains has been faculty members that leave their power strips turned on at night even after the computer itself has been powered down. Across a large organization with thousands of computers this seemingly small amount of energy can add up to a huge amount of wasted money and resources. Luckily a new product may soon solve the problem completely.

The new Ecostrip is essentially a smart power strip. It works like any other power strip, but also connects to your computer via a USB cable. This cable tells the power strip when you are shutting down the computer and tells it to automatically turn off the power to any of the peripherals that are plugged into the same strip. Although no price has been set and the new strip is not yet available for purchase, when it hits the market it is certain to return its investment, especially when used in situations such as the corporate or school settings mentioned earlier.