Your Guide To Green

Energy Vampires are those electronic devices that we leave in the standby mode. In order to be ready to operate at all times, the electronic device, gadget or appliance maintains a slow, reduced draw of electricity. This is where the reference to vampire is rooted: it still sucks energy when turned "off." Even though the device's draw is reduced, you are still paying for energy you aren't using. The bills can add up, particularly now with the rising cost of energy.

This undesired loss of electricity also is known as phantom energy and some of the biggest culprits are electronics chargers. I-pods, cell phones and digital chargers have a steady current of energy flowing at all times–even when they say they are fully charged. Additionally, your television and DVD player, computers, auto-coffee maker and cordless phones all suck energy when there is no demand. Computers can draw 7 watts (w) and microwaves can draw 1.2 w while in standby mode. The reason for standby is convenience, but now this convenience is coming at the cost of higher energy bills!

Consider this scenario: A young, four-person family with two cell phone chargers (1.2 w), two computers plugged in (7 w each), a microwave (1.2 w), a stereo (2.5w), a DVD player (3 w), and two televisions (3.5 w each): has a total phantom energy load of 30.1 watts. This equates to .7224 kWh of energy per day or 264 kWh a year.* In dollars this adds up to approximately $60 annually at average current rates. And just remember this estimate is on the shy side: often there are more phantom energy points than just the ones mentioned here.

Even though this is a relatively small portion of your total energy bill (approximately 5% of your total home energy consumption), the environmental and financial savings can accumulate especially if everyone takes action. For the entire United States, this could add up to 65 billion kWh/year, which equals $5.8 billion in savings as well as eliminating 87 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. That's some powerful change.

So now that you understand why it is important and resourceful to eliminate the phantom energy demands in your house, how do you do it? Here are five simple solutions:

•  UNPLUG IT! Some devices, like computers can be unplugged when you are finished using them. However, some devices you can't unplug, like an auto-coffee maker that is programmed. In that case consider getting a French press that requires no energy or eliminate the programmed need.

•  GET A POWER STRIP! Try plugging a group of electronics into a common source: a power strip. It is easier to use one switch to shut off a whole group of electronics at and this reduces the phantom energy consumption. You will see a noticeable decline in your energy bills. For example, you can plug your television, DVD player, stereo and record player into one power strip, which makes it easy to shut everything off before leaving the house and at bedtime.

•  BETTER YET GET A SMART POWER STRIP! The Smart Power strip is revolutionary in its design in that it knows when power is not needed and turns itself off. Here is how it works. There are three outlet types on the Smart Power Strip; the Control, Constant Hot and Switched. The Control is where you plug in your computer or TV. The Constant Hot outlets are always on, and here is the fascinating part. The Switched outlets are tied to the Control outlet. When the electronic device that is plugged into the Control is off...the Switched outlets are automatically turned off...saving electricity.

•  CHECK THE LABEL! Choose Energy Star certified appliances because they use the least amount of energy in standby mode.

•  KEEP IT SIMPLE! Avoid buying products that have lots of bells and whistles because they often come at an electric cost. Be realistic and ask yourself if you really need that amenity.

In addition to saving money and reducing your fossil fuel consumption consider buying renewable energy certificates to offset all your resource consumption. (http://www.yourguidetogreen.com/learn/articles/index.php?article=Offsetting-Emissions)

*This calculation was figured as follows: 30.1 watts = .0301 kW / 0301 kW x 24 hours = .7224 kWh/ day.

Sources:

Union of Concerned Scientists

http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/01/

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/transport-tech/

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/

http://www.energystar.gov/