Vampire loads

In this month’s newsletter, my electric utility company has an article on vampire electric loads.  Vampire load is electricity that is used by a device even when it appears to be turned off.  According to the EPA, nearly 10% of the average household electricity use in the US is due to vampire loads.  That’s a lot of electricity when you multiply it by all the homes and apartments in the country.  Many electronic devices such as TVs, computers, and game units use a lot of electricity while they are in sleep or off mode, getting updates or maintaining readiness to turn back on.  Chargers that are plugged in to the electric socket but not to a device are still using electricity.  Many devices have little indicator lights that stay on even when the device is turned off.  Take a look around your home or office and then try some of these ideas:

• Unplug chargers when you disconnect them from your phone, laptop, electric razor, etc.
• Put your TV, computer, printer, game unit, etc. on a power strip that can be turned off so no power can reach the electronics that are plugged into it.  Then turn it off when you leave the house or go to sleep.  According to the newsletter, you can now buy power trips that connect to your phone so you can turn them on and off easily. 
• Check settings on computers and printers and understand the sleep/hibernate modes and how much power is used.  Set these electronics up to minimize the power drain when they’re not in use. 
• Check owner’s manuals on items such as microwaves.  Mine has an energy saver setting that turns off the clock lights that I don’t need. 
• I turn off my computer monitor instead of letting it hibernate.  I’m not sure how much electricity that saves, but the little indicator light is off, at least.