| The amount of electronic appliances we have in a | | | | they still use up energy even if you don't charge |
| house has risen considerably for the last ten | | | | any batteries. Of course, it is only around $5 per |
| years. At one time we usually only had just a | | | | family per month, but do you feel like giving out |
| TV-set and stereo. Now, we have also one or | | | | $3 every month for your electricity provider for |
| two computers, a DVD player, DVR and who | | | | nothing? The worse offender in this area is the |
| knows what else. This situation, of course, | | | | cell phone charger. Your cell phone rarely needs |
| impacts our energy bills a lot more than one | | | | charging every night, so just re-charge it when |
| would think. While all those appliances taken | | | | needed. |
| separately use very little electricity, the situation | | | | 3) Use hard power downs whenever possible. |
| looks quite differently if we sum up all the energy | | | | Nowadays most electronics keep drawing energy |
| they use collectively. | | | | even when they seem to be turned off. While it |
| Here are some quick and easy to implement tips | | | | is, of course, much less than they need when |
| you can use right now that can and will save you | | | | they're on, standbys can become quite costly, |
| some money on your next electric bill. | | | | too. Unplug those devices you're not going to use. |
| 1) Turn your PC on only if you need to work on | | | | Do not worry about the startup energy cost - it |
| it. Switch it off once you're done. The common | | | | is pretty much the same as with computers. |
| misconception is that a PC uses so much energy | | | | 4) Keep in mind that seemingly similar devices |
| while starting up that it is cheaper to keep it on all | | | | may need various amounts of energy. Generally, |
| the time. This used to be true in times before the | | | | look for the Energy Star mark - it means that |
| first Apple was created. Now PCs use only a bit | | | | the device is considered energy-efficient and uses |
| more power during the startup. While turning your | | | | up to a third of energy needed to power the |
| PC on and off every fifteen minutes will certainly | | | | gadgets without the Energy Star. |
| add to your energy bill, an hour or two is long | | | | See? That's not that hard is it? Usually the |
| enough to switch your PC off and let it rest a bit. | | | | smallest changes can add up to make the biggest |
| 2) Never keep your chargers plugged in when you | | | | differences. |
| don't need them. You may not know about it, but | | | | |