Steer Clear of Vampire Energy
There are dozens of ways you can cut back on your energy consumption, but before you make any drastic changes to your energy habits, consider eliminating wasted energy in your home. Believe it or not, a significant amount of energy is sucked up through your power cords even when your electronics are turned off. That's because many appliances and electronics actually run on "standby" mode. Even when you think they are turned off they actually use some energy. If you've ever seen a light on your cell phone charger or television when they are not in use, then you've noticed energy waste.
This waste is often referred to as vampire energy, because even though your gadgets are essentially dead, they still suck power from the outlet. It may not seem like a big deal, but the amount of energy being wasted day and night, week after week can really add up on your energy bill. According to ENERGY STAR, vampire energy can cost the average U.S. family $100 a year. So what can you do about it?
How to combat the vampires
If you want to stop wasting energy, getting rid of vampires is a great place to start. The most obvious solution is to ensure that all appliances and electronic devices are unplugged when they aren't in use. After all, your gizmos can't suck up electricity if they aren't plugged into anything. As you start unplugging, remember that even everyday machines, such as your coffee maker or cell phone charger, can be culprits of vampire energy. It might be a little irritating to plug and unplug the same machine every day, but the savings you see on your energy bill may be well worth the inconvenience.
Sometimes remembering to unplug your appliances and electronics can be challenging, but there are alternatives to make the process a little easier. For example, you could purchase a power strip so several of your gadgets are plugged into a central location. That way, all you have to do is turn the power strip off, or unplug it altogether, and all the connected electronics would be off and vampire free.
If you just can't manage to unplug your devices or don't want to deal with the hassle of reprogramming your television or resetting the time on your microwave, think about buying ENERGY STAR-certified devices. These models are the most energy-efficient options on the market, and even in standby mode, they are set to their lowest energy-sucking levels. It's important to note that while you would still be using some energy, these devices should help decrease your energy costs.