What many people don't realize is that most fluorescent lights in UCSC offices can be adjusted to be less bright. Computer use is another factor. Most computers on campus could meet the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star conservation guidelines, but companies usually ship computers with these features disabled, said Dunn. They come that way out of the box. While there have been efforts to get computer manufacturers to sell computers with those features activated, that job will be up to network administrators for now.
Refrigerators are one more area of concern.
We need to go back to where we were in the '70s. Those old ideas are coming back. The university wants thermostats set at 68 during the cold months, especially in portable units, which use electric heat and are often not well insulated. Other campus buildings use natural gas, which has become very expensive and should also be conserved.