Most workers want their employer to be an environmentally responsible company, but many of them are lagging when it comes to helping conserve energy at work, such as turning off lights and computers when they are done using them, according to a survey by Sun Microsystems.

The survey found that 73 percent of workers said they strongly or somewhat agree that it is important to them that their employer is an environmentally and socially responsible company. However, only 52 percent of workers are turning off the light when they leave a room at work.

When asked what they do at home, 92 percent said they do in fact turn off the lights in their residence. When asked about computers, 58 percent said they turn off computers at home when they are done using them, compared with 34 percent who siad they do so at work. Another key finding was that 57 percent of workers are using "sleep" mode for their home computers so that the system will go into an energy saving state if not used for a set amount of time. Only 44 percent said they use sleep mode for their computers in the office.

Sun estimates that if the percentage of America's 81.1 million office workers who are not turning off lights and computers at work took their energy-conscious behaviors to work with them, those workers could achieve the equivalent of taking 6.1 million cars off the road in aggregate CO2 emissions.

"Businesses don't cut power consumption--people do," says Dave Douglas, vice president of Eco Responsibility at Sun Microsystems. "If you're an employee, these survey results show that you have an enormous opportunity to make a difference for our planet and to help America 's business make better use of their economic resources. If you're an employer, bridge this gap by communicating about the issue and how everyone can benefit by taking small steps. The good news is that your employees care about the environment, but they may need your help in realizing how much they can actually make a difference."

Douglas offers the following 10 tips for conserving energy at your company this summer.

1. Try using natural light. If your office is too dark, try a reading light. The average reading light consumes about 60 watts, much less less than overhead lighting.
2. Don't depend on the sensors. Even if your office is equipped with sensors that switch lights on and off automatically, there is still a lag in the time the sensor takes to turn off lights. Also, motion in hallways or from other activity can reactivate your lights. Both can add up to real dollars and greenhouse gas pollution.
3. Shut the blinds first thing in the morning before you feel the need to. Doing this early on in the day reduces the overall heat gain of the building and reduces the need to use air conditioning. You can enjoy that view again once the heat wave subsides.
4. Dump your screensaver. If you still have one of those screensavers that move--whether the psychedelic or more tame variety--these can consume as much energy as when your computer is in use.
5. Put your computer to sleep. Most computers come with an energy saving feature that automatically puts your computer into "sleep" mode after a set amount of time if you're not using it. Studies show that 50 percent to 80 percent of computers are not set to go into "sleep" mode. With a few clicks, you can set up your computer to go to sleep, or just ask your IT department to help you.
6. Better yet, click off the power button. Your monitor is using energy even while it sleeps. Turn off the power button when you're not using it, and power down any other hardware you're not using, whether in your office, or elsewhere. Unplugging your equipment at the end of the day can bring the energy from 150 watts down to 0.
7. Pull the plugs. Believe it or not, your electronic devices may still use energy when they are turned off because some use "standby power." The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 40 percent of the energy used by home electronics such as digital video recorders (DVRs), big-screen televisions, and cable decoder boxes is consumed when the devices are turned off or in standby mode.
8. Kill the space heater. Despite the sweltering heat outside, many offices are over-air conditioned and cause workers to run space heaters. Space heaters can consume as much as 1,500 watts per hour. During an energy crunch, try working in a common area such as a cafeteria or sitting outside. You should also contact your office manager or facilities to get to the root of the problem. It could be an easy fix or a sign of a larger problem that needs addressing.
9. Get a free consult from your local utility. Many electric utilities offer free evaluation services. They will walk you through the power drains in your facility and help you conserve both energy and money.
10. Don't let energy conservation end at home. Studies show that many office workers' habits change dramatically once they get to work. They tend to stop doing simple things they do at home to save energy, such as turning off lights when they leave the room and shutting down computers and monitors at the end of the day.  Remember, businesses don't cut power consumption--people do! Bringing those good habits into the office with helps employers avoid blackouts, save money and be more eco-friendly.