How to Decrease Phantom Power Usage
Phantom power, or energy consumed by appliances in "standby" mode or turned off, is responsible for 75 percent of the nation's energy consumption, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. While you may have pressed the power button to turn off your TV or DVD player, the appliances are most likely still drawing energy, costing you money and wasting resources. The EPA states that the worst offenders are TVs, phones, and computers. You can cut your phantom power easily by following a few simple steps and creating a mindful, responsible environment in your home. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Unplug Anything You Aren't Using
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Unplug your toaster, coffee pot, microwave, TV, DVD player, surround sound, computer and any other appliance that you aren't currently using or don't need at a moment's notice. Just turning something off does not stop the flow of electricity. Many newer model televisions and entertainment systems require a large amount of electricity to maintain standby. The only benefit to putting an appliance in standby is the appliance turns on more quickly.
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Unplug your cell phone charger, laptop charger, MP3 charger and any other charger that you aren't using. Even though the appliance isn't hooked up to the charger, the charger still draws the same amount of electricity.
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Unplug any appliance that has LED lights that remain on while the appliance is turned off.
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Use surge protectors for entertainment systems and personal computers. Surge protectors, when turned off, stop the flow of electricity, which makes unplugging all of your appliances less of a hassle.
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Tips & Warnings
Walk through your house or apartment and analyze every electronic appliance you own. If you're not using it, unplug it.
