A trial project encouraging Charles Sturt University (CSU) staff to take personal responsibility for cutting their computer and monitor energy use has concluded with results showing energy use dropped by one-third. Meters were installed in the offices of volunteers from the School of Education at CSU in Wagga Wagga for two week periods earlier this year. In the first week of the trial, participants were instructed to use their computers ‘as per usual’. In the second week they made a conscious effort to use less energy by turning computers off at the power point at the end of each day and by switching off monitors when leaving the room for more than 10 minutes. “The project found that energy use in the second week fell by an average of 32 per cent,” said team member Ms Barbara Conlan. The amount of energy saved in the second week was 62 kilowatt-hours for the 30 volunteers, equivalent to an annual saving of approximately $470. “One of the aims of this project was to promote a cultural change within Charles Sturt University as well as to provide case studies for education students on ways to be environmentally sustainable in schools, workplaces and homes.”