Secret Energy Wasters
Secret Energy Wasters
Cell-phone chargers, iPods, remote-controlled televisions and DVD players gobble up energy even when they’re turned off.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program, 15 percent of the average home’s energy use goes to power home electronics. AND a whopping 40% of that electricity consumed by those appliances is used when they are IDLE. A computer left on night and day eats as much electricity as an efficient refrigerator – 70 to 250 watts each day.
Nationally, the amount of electricity used to power our home electronics every day in “off” mode equals the output of 17 generation plants. Americans spend $1 billion a year to power TVs and VCRs while they’re off. Big screen TVs are the worst offenders gobbling up 30 kWhs daily when off, using power to maintain features like clock and channel settings and stay connected to cable boxes.
So what can a consumer do, short of running around the house unplugging things every night and reprogramming them in the morning?
• Unplug cell phone chargers and other adapters when not in use.
• Consider unplugging spare appliances, such as that extra refrigerator in the garage that’s only used during the holidays, or the clock and television in the guest bedroom.
• Purchase Energy Star-related products when it’s time to replace old ones. Some newer computers, for example, use just 1 watt while off. Energy efficient televisions use 30 percent less power.
• The federal government is moving in the direction of setting industry-wide standards that require manufacturers to produce energy-smart products. Educating consumers is just as an important step in encouraging the efficient use of energy.