As Santa’s best kept secret, you can help NC State save money and reduce its paw print during the Holiday Energy Savings Initiative from Saturday, Dec. 24  to Monday, Jan. 2.

For the past decade, NC State has safely lowered temperatures in many campus buildings to help reduce energy consumption. But, there’s more that you can do that doesn’t require you to dress up like a green or even a red elf with pointy ears and hats.

Before you leave for the Winter Break, remember to:

• Turn off any non-essential electronics, including scanners, printers and other computer peripherals that won’t be used while you’re away.
• Turn off all lights in your office and close any exterior windows and doors.
• Consider a shutdown of your computer as opposed to a sleep or hibernate state, if compatible with your business processes. Even if you need to keep a computer on, turn off your monitor(s).
• Spread the word about the Holiday Energy Savings Initiative and encourage others to participate to maximize energy conservation and savings. Last year’s initiative resulted in $288,990 in savings for the university and more than $3 million to date.

For more energy saving tips during the Winter Break, visit the Holiday Energy Savings website.