Employees at Massachusetts’ executive branch agencies will now be required to turn off computers or switch to energy saving modes when they are not in use, AP reports via BostonHerald.com.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick recently announced a new policy mandating that inactive computers be powered down in an effort to save energy. The policy is expected to save $2 million and 12 million kilowatts a year.
The policy will cover about 80 percent of the state office’s 40,000 computers.
In an effort to reduce energy consumption, some states, such as Washington, New Hampshire, are testing 4-day workweeks. Boston is also launching a two-month pilot program dubbed as Lights Out Boston in an attempt to save about 25 percent in energy used for lighting.