Save money while you sleep
Vampire power awareness day
You can reduse your costs just by terminating vampire power. Although the term ‘vampire’ is silly, the savings are serius. Chances are that you too is wasting power, even in your sleep. The solution, however, is pretty simple.
What is vampire power?
- Vampire Power is the electricity that consumer electronics and appliances use while they are switched off or in a standby mode.
- These unassuming predators have been feeding off valuable electricity from everyday appliances and electronics when they are in the off position or in standby mode.
- Innocent looking prey include: plasma TVs, computers and game consoles, DVD/VCR players, DVRs, adapters for MP3 players, and cell phones, which can waste up to half the energy they consume.
- A computer left on continuously can suck nearly as much power as an energy efficient refrigerator; anywhere from 70 – 250 watts, depending on the model and how it is used.
- A 500-watt, 65-inch LCD TV left on all the time would cost $484 in electricity per year and the generation of that electricity would produce 5,873 pounds of CO2 per year
The Scary facts of vampire power
- Roughly $4 billion annually across the United States is spent on electricity lost to “vampire power,” according to the International Energy Agency.
- 40 percent of all electricity used to power electronics in the average American home, such as TVs, DVD players and computers, is consumed while these products are turned off, according to the Department of Energy.
- The average home wastes close to $1,000 in electricity costs per year at current rates (more in the future if energy costs continue to climb).
- Each watt of vampire power costs about one dollar per year – if you have 25 power vampires consuming an average of seven watts each, they will cost you $175 per year and emit about 900 kilograms of carbon dioxide.
- The average microwave consumes more power when it is not in use.
- The average American home has approximately 20 to 40 electronics plugged in that abuse vampire power.
- The electricity vampires prey upon is significant and can cost up to 10 percent of an average household’s monthly electric bill.
Here is how to get out of the mindless power consumtion
Use a power strip
Plug your chargers into a power strip and when you’re not using those chargers, turn the power strip off. Also you can even get a power saving USB power strip that turns off when your computer is not on.
Get unplugged
All of your chargers (cell phone, MP3, laptop, and even electric toothbrushes) continue to draw electricity even when the device is not charging. When the device has been completely charged unplug the charger from the wall.
Turn your computer off
Completely shut down your computer and printer when not in use. If you are unable to do so, at least make sure the computer goes into a lowpower sleep, standby or hibernate mode. And watch out for those screen savers; graphic intense screen savers can actually waste power.
Look for the Star
Upgrade electronics and appliances to ENERGY STAR qualified products, which draw less power than the average when in “off” mode.
Further information
For more tips and advice on ridding vampires from your home, visit your local Best Buy
store or check out www.vampireawarenessday.com Best Buy is declaring today as National Vampire Power Awareness Day and launching a campaign to educate Americans about the worst offenders of vampire power.
Akso further reading about vampire power on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_power
