| Trying to save energy? Have you paid | | | | United States. It doesn't seem like much on a |
| attention to your electronic devices? The | | | | personal level, but it costs the country |
| number of televisions, DVD players, stereos, | | | | around eight billion dollars a year in total, |
| computers, and other electronic appliances in | | | | says the Alliance to Save Energy. This goes |
| a home has increased steadily over the past | | | | for other battery chargers as well. Once the |
| few years. While these devices don't seem | | | | battery is full, unplug the charger. |
| like they'd use a lot of power, the fact is | | | | |
| that even just a trickle can add up over | | | | Avoid phantom loads. Most electronics now |
| time. Here are just a few things you can do | | | | require energy, even when off! The little |
| to keep your electronics from increasing your | | | | lights on televisions, stereos, and other |
| bill. | | | | electronic devices draw power when we're not |
| | | | using them. To prevent this, unplug those |
| Turn off your computer when it's not in use. | | | | devices when they won't be in use. |
| Computers draw a relatively small amount of | | | | |
| electricity per day, but it adds up over | | | | When buying new electronics, look for the |
| time. Just the monitor, which uses less power | | | | Energy Star certification. Computers, |
| than your CPU, will cost you around $20 per | | | | printers, televisions and more are available, |
| month if left on every day. | | | | and will use as much as 70% less power than |
| | | | devices that aren't certified by Energy Star. |
| Turning off your computer doesn't take much | | | | This is a great way to reduce the amount of |
| time, and saves power. Many people think that | | | | power you use without saying goodbye to |
| leaving the computer or monitor on will | | | | electronics you need. |
| increase its usable life, or that starting | | | | |
| the computer up again uses more power than | | | | Use rechargable batteries instead of |
| leaving it on. Both of these misconceptions | | | | disposables. You won't be contaminating |
| date from the days of room-filling mainframe | | | | landfills with heavy metals, and you'll save |
| computers. Modern machines aren't as fragile, | | | | money in the long run. Rechargable batteries |
| and use much less power on startup. | | | | have thousands of uses in them before you'll |
| | | | need new ones, and they may have longer life |
| Don't leave your cell phone charger plugged | | | | between charges than disposables. This makes |
| in. While this practice might keep the | | | | them the ideal choices for cameras, MP3 |
| charger ready for your phone, it also uses a | | | | players that take standard batteries, and |
| trickle of power. This amounts to around a | | | | other devices. |
| dollar fifty per person, per month, in the | | | | |