Energy saving electronics

The large number of electrical appliances in the home offer many opportunities to save energy.

No-cost savings

• Avoid “phantom” loads by unplugging appliances when not in use. You also can plug appliances into a power strip and use the switch on the strip to cut all power to the appliances. Many electrical appliances continue to draw a small amount of power even when they are switched off. While the individual amount per appliance is small, when all the appliances are combined “phantom” loads can account for a large percentage of the electricity used to power home electronics.
• Unplug battery chargers once the batteries are fully charged or when the charger is not being used. This includes chargers for cell phones, cameras, MP3 players, etc.
  

Low-cost savings

• Use rechargeable batteries whenever possible. Rechargeable batteries cost a bit more up front, but will save you money in the long run and keep discarded batteries out of the landfills.
• Look for the Energy Star label when purchasing new electronics. Energy Star qualified products generally use about half the electricity of standard products. In some cases Energy Star qualified electronics can save as much as 90 percent of the energy required by other products.*