Climate Crisis Solution #10: Kill Your Phantoms
Verfasst von Live Earth am 6 September, 2007 - 15:44
WHEN YOUR APPLIANCES AREN'T ON, THEY'RE STILL USING ELECTRICITY.
You may believe that when you turn an appliance off, it is, in fact, off. But most of your household appliances feature a clock, or a digital timer, or a remote control, or a standby mode...
It's known as phantom electricity or, more aptly, vampire power, because of the soul-sucking waste of energy and cash it uses. The phantom electrical load in the industrialized countries alone accounts for 75 million tons of CO2 emitted and billions of dollars wasted per year.
So? Plug as many of your electronics as possible into a power strip and then turn it off when they are not in use. TVs and VCRs alone waste $1billion in lost electricity in the U.S annually.
Visit www.energystar.gov for more information.
It bothers me that so many
It bothers me that so many appliances in my house have small green or red lights glowing when they are turned off. I know that it works to plug these into a power strip, but even the power strips have lights. We need to create change in industry, allowing us to make the decision whether we need a light to tell us if something is on. I know there are instances, for example in hospitals, where it is necessary to know at a glance if something is charged when it makes a difference to someone's life, but most of these lights are inexcusable!
Where does the electricity go
Where does the electricity go when an appliance is not in use, but still pluged-in to the outlet?
I have a great Energy
I have a great Energy Conservation Tip:
When moving, do not buy boxes from shipping supply stores or local moving van locations. Instead, check with your local grocery store's backdoor personnel to see if they have empty boxes they can give you. They are generally very sturdy, as most fruits and vegetables need to travel hundreds of miles to make it there anyways. Plus, you'll have a nice banana or melon smell with your book collections ;)