Beware of Energy Eaters

Cell-phone chargers, iPods, remote-controlled televisions and DVD players, as well as washing machines, gobble up energy even when they’re turned off. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program, 15% of the average home’s energy use goes to power home electronics. And a whopping 40% of the electricity consumed by these appliances is used when they are idle, waiting to do our bidding. A computer left on night and day eats as much electricity as an efficient refrigerator – 70 to 250 watts each day, according to a New York Times article.

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 televisions are the worst offenders, gobbling up 30 watts daily when off, using power to maintain features like clock and channel settings and stay connected to cable boxes.

So what can you do, short of running around the house unplugging things every night and reprogramming them in the morning?

For starters, 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.

Perhaps more important though, is to purchase Energy Star-rated products when it’s time to replace old ones. Energy–efficient technology already exists to greatly reduce the amount of power used in these invisible ways. Some new computers use just 1 watt while off. Energy-efficient televisions use 30% less power. If every TV sold this year were Energy Star-qualified, there would be 9 billion pounds less air pollution.

To learn more about how an individual appliance contributes to your energy bill, go to www.rfmu.org and select the Home Energy Calculator icon. This is an online tool that offers 24/7 access to energy answers and provides one-stop-shopping for your energy information needs.

(Source: National Rural Electric Coop. Assoc., RE Magazine)