Americans use electrical power at an unprecedented rate. In fact, per capita, Americans use more power than any other nation in the world. We have become a gluttonous and wasteful nation, to the detriment of our own land as well as the entire planet. To give some idea of the wastefulness we engage in, According to a United Nations report on ‘efficient energy use in the residential sector’, the average American household consumes 440 KWh (Kilowatt Hours) of electricity per year in wasted energy from appliances that are turned off or are in standby mode. That amounts to 5 Gig watts (5 billion watts), of needlessly wasted energy every year in America. To add salt to the wound, this power production also spews billions of tons of carbon as well as other pollutants into the atmosphere each year.
Energy consumed by small household appliances and electronics when they are turned off or are in standby mode is commonly referred to as ‘Phantom Loads’. Not all of your appliances are energy vampires though. Older small appliances and even some electronics pull no load at all when turned off. An example is my toaster vs. my sons. I have one of those basic models with the only power being consumed coming from the heating elements while I make my toast. My son however is a gadget nut and his toaster has a clock, timer, variable settings and rather than simply turning it off, it remains in a standby mode when not in use to support the onboard electronics. When my toast is done, my toaster shuts off and there is no more power draw. However, after my son finishes spending 5 minutes toasting his bagels, for the next 23 hours and 55 minutes, his toaster is drawing power, ‘standing by’, waiting to be used again. Some of the most innocuous items can be a power draw and you may not even be aware of it, hence the term ‘Phantom Load’. A general rule of thumb is if it has a light on or uses a remote, it likely is using power when not actually in use.
If you would like to know exactly how much power your appliances and electronics are using, consider looking into a nifty new product called the ‘Kill-O-Watt’. It, or variations of it, plugs into the wall and then you plug your appliance or electronic component into it. The unit acts like a miniature meter and can tell you exactly how much power the plugged in device is using. This can be a real eye opener and provide you with valuable insight into the actual amount of power you are using every day. You should be aware of the amount and cost of the power you use. The U.S. Dept. of Energy has this handy guide to help you estimate your appliance’s annual energy costs.
The most obvious thing you could do to starve these energy vultures is to simply unplug them when not in use. For some things this is pretty easy. But if you’re talking about the entertainment center, consider using a power strip. It’s easier than unplugging several components and one switch does it all. You might also consider a timer on some appliances that get used at around the same time every day. Put a timer on your coffee pot and it will only get power for an hour or two in the morning, and then power is cut to it for the rest of the day. Also, when considering what needs to be put on an electrical diet, don’t worry about the microwave or other appliances with clocks on them. Unless you readily use the clock function, who needs it.
Reducing your overall power consumption can add even more to your savings after you have eliminated the Phantom Loads. Turn off computer peripherals like your printer or powered speakers when you’re on the computer but not using these devices. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent (CF), bulbs or the new generation of LED lighting. Both can provide just a bright lighting at a fraction of the wattage and cost. They also produce virtually no heat, unlike their incandescent cousins. Use motion sensitive lighting outside and where possible, use solar powered lighting.
Speaking of Solar power, go to the automotive section of your local department store and you will likely find solar chargers. They are meant to charge car batteries and provide supplemental power for camping and the like. But, with an optional adapter, it can be used to plug in things like your cell phone charger and similar low wattage items. Get one of those, plug your phone charger into it and then you can gloat to all your friends that your phone runs on the power of the sun.
Sources:
Electricity usage meter ~ Kill-O-Watt P4460 Electricity Usage Monitor
United Nations energy report ~ http://www.unescap.org/esd/energy/publications/psec/guidebook-part-two-standby-power.htm
U.S. Dept. of Energy ~ http://www.energy.gov/applianceselectronics.htm
