Vanquish the Vampires: Up to 75% of electricity used by home electronics is consumed when the electronics are turned “off.” Any device that has a clock, a remote control, a little glowing light, or a charger draws power continuously unless unplugged. To conserve this power, simply unplug them or turn off the power strip they’re plugged in to when they’re not in use. Save – A – Watt and Save Money!
Play it safe: Besides wasting energy, leaving electric appliances and equipment on unnecessarily will cause them to wear out faster. It may also be a significant safety hazard. So, play it safe and turn them off when you’re through.
Put your computer to sleep: Screen savers do not save energy and are no longer necessary for extending screen life. Instead, save energy when you’re away by turning it off or enabling the power saving mode on your computer. If you’re using the power saving settings set the computer to go into sleep or hibernate mode after 15 minutes of no activity. You’ll save energy and extend the life of your computer.
Turn Down your TV display: Most televisions are shipped from the factory with the screen at it’s brightest setting which isn’t needed for optimal viewing at home. To save energy and improve the picture quality dim the screen using the TV’s settings.
Don’t be a blockhead: It is only necessary to operate your engine block heater for a few hours prior to starting your vehicle. Larger block heaters are the equivalent of running a space heater continuously outside and add unnecessarily to your bill. FEC recommends using a timer to control the hours of usage.
Use a smart strip: Instead of just a standard power strip, use a smart strip to control home electronics such as media centers and computer stations. Strips are available that either turn outlets on and off on a timer, via occupancy sensors or by designating one device (such as the TV or computer) as the control device and switching off everything else when the control device is turned off.
Pick a Laptop: If you’re shopping for a new computer, consider purchasing a laptop instead of a desktop. Aside from all the convenience of a portable computer, they also use 75 to 90% less energy than a desktop. Because they’re designed to efficiently use batteries, laptops use less power to operate and come with pre-programmed energy-saving settings that put them to sleep.
Choose an Energy Star Computer: Energy usage is an important consideration when purchasing a new computer. An ENERGY STAR labeled laptop or desktop computer uses as much as 70% less electricity than computers without this designation.
Buy Energy Star home office equipment: When you’re in the market for new office equipment such as printers, faxes, scanners, choosing an energy efficient model is a smart choice. Office Equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR helps save energy through special energy-efficient designs, which allow them to use less energy to perform regular tasks, and automatically enter a low-power mode when not in use.
Buy Energy Star Televisions: ENERGY STAR qualified TVs use about 30% less energy than standard units.
