Verdiem has just launched a new monitoring application for enabling eco-conscious consumers around the world to proactively control PC energy consumption as well as cut down on household emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Called Edison, the free software for Windows-compatible machines is designed to enhance the potential settings of computing devices in a consumer-friendly way that is easy to set up and manage. The goal is “to empower consumers to do something about climate change,” said Kevin Klustner, Verdiem’s CEO.

PCs are the hidden energy hogs of the home, and most users have no view that they are needlessly throwing away 80 percent of their PC’s energy, Klustner explained. “By finding ways to embed offsets in our daily life — even something as simple as downloading software — we will create permanent reductions in energy use and have a huge impact on our environment and resource sustainability.”

Spreading The Word

According to Klustner, the energy consumption

of the one billion-plus PCs currently installed around the world collectively produces a staggering amount of CO2 that is roughly equivalent to having an additional 70 million cars on the road.

“We have the ability, and in fact the responsibility, to bring PC capability management to a much broader audience,” Klustner said. “If just one percent of all PCs used Edison, we could potentially reduce environmental impacts by seven billion pounds of CO2, which is equal to taking more than a half million cars off the road.”

Microsoft has joined Verdiem in asking Windows PC users everywhere to enhance their control by their current capability settings by downloading Edison. To spread the word, both companies are working closely with the Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) — a nonprofit group recently formed by eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organizations.

Various studies predict that PC ownership will quadruple to…

Original post by Top Tech News