Defeating the Energy Vampires

by Amy Fleischer

You’re closing up the office for the day. You turn up the thermostat, and turn off the lights. Just when you’re confident you’ve done all you can to conserve energy, your bill is attacked by energy vampires.

Energy vampires are appliances that suck energy even when they’re switched off. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

Computers Printers Copy machines Air conditioners

Microwaves Coffee makers TVs/VCRs/ DVD players Clocks

A study conducted by an energy expert at Cornell University estimates that these appliances, operating on what is known as “stand-by power,” waste about $3 billion in energy each year – or about $200 worth per household. (You can find a chart quantifying stand-by power consumption by type of appliance at: http://standby.lbl.gov/Data/SummaryChart.html). And, if that’s not enough, your A/C system is working overtime to combat the heat generated by these appliances drawing stand-by power.

Power Up Smart

Energy vampires cannot be switched off completely without unplugging them. We recommend that you plug many appliances into one power strip. You can turn the power strip on and off at will, which is easier than unplugging and replugging every cord one by one. Even better, purchase a “smart” power strip, which can sense the presence of office workers and turns the attached appliances on and off accordingly. They’re available for as low as $30 at major retailers like Amazon.com.

Power Down Often

Make sure to turn your computers (and other office appliances, like copiers) off when you’re not using them, especially overnight and on the weekends. Leaving them in sleep mode can cost you more than $40 per year.

Sleep modes can be a great way to reduce power use when you step away from your desk for short time periods. Improve your conservation rate by shortening the delay time between your last key stroke and your monitor’s descent into sleep mode.

Buy Smart

Did you know that laptop computers use up to 90 percent less energy than desktop models? And that ink-jet printers use up to 90 percent less energy than laser printers? Take a good look at what your business’ true needs are and shop accordingly!

New flat-panel liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors use less energy than regular cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors. Admittedly, you may go into sticker shock at first, but prices for LCD monitors will continue to drop, so keep this fact in mind. If you do choose to buy a CRT monitor, choose the smallest screen size that will you’re your needs: a 17-inch monitor consumes 35 percent more electricity than a 14-inch monitor.

Bring It Home

Check this out: if your cell phone charger is plugged into the outlet, it is drawing energy even if the cell phone is not attached at the other end. This is true for your iPod charger and your digital camera charger as well. And power tools? Yep, they draw energy even when they’re finished charging. Take a moment when you’re locking up the house at night to make sure all of your outlets are empty.

Your Feedback

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Audubon of Florida’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a watershed system that is managed to maintain the native plants and animals and preserve the natural processes that have been occurring for thousands of years. The 13,000 acre property includes the last stand of virgin bald cypress trees existing in the United States. Visitors can enjoy the Sanctuary from a 2-1/4 mile boardwalk and expand their knowledge of ecosystems in southwest Florida at the Blair Audubon Center. Learn more at www.corkscrew.audubon.org.