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January 18, 2008

Save Energy, Eliminate Phantom Loads

by Megan Phelps

Did you know that your TV is consuming energy even when you're not

using it? In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75

percent ( http://www.energy.gov/applianceselectronics.htm ) of the

electricity that powers home electronics is consumed while these

devices are turned off! If that sounds like a high figure, consider

that most home electronics -- including stereos, computers,

televisions and DVD players -- are using standby power (

http://standby.lbl.gov/Reducing/Technology.html ) anytime they're

switched off, and that adds up quickly when these devices are plugged

in 24 hours a day.

Electricity consumed when the power is turned off is called a phantom

load, ghost load or vampire load, and they're common not only in home

electronics, but in many home appliances as well, such as stoves,

washers and dryers.

That electricity shows up on your bill just the same as if you were

using it for something more rewarding, and it makes the same

contribution to air pollution, global warming and other environmental

problems. The good news is that if you're looking for ways to save

energy, reducing phantom loads is an easy, painless way to start.

Here are a couple of strategies to try.

Turn it off, then unplug it. For any electrical device you would like

to turn completely off, this is the foolproof way to do it. Take that

phantom loads!

Consolidate your cords with power strips. It can be a hassle to unplug

multiple cords, so many energy experts recommend plugging all those

cords into power strips to make it easy to turn off all the devices

at once. A newer type of power strip called the smart strip (

http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Shop/Hardware-Cable/Item/LCG1/ ) can make

this even easier. Use one with your computer or TV, and it turns off

all the peripheral devices automatically. (Here's a short video

explaining how it works (

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5014772183673896724&q=smart+strip&total=

68&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Measure and target phantom loads. In many cases you can guess which

appliances are most likely to have phantom loads -- start with

anything with a remote control or a digital display. Look around and

you may be surprised at how many you have. But there's a simple way

to find out exactly how much power each gadget uses. An inexpensive

home meter such as the Kill-a-Watt (

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=blended&field-keywords

=kill-a-watt&results-process=default&dispatch=search/ref=pd_sl_aw_tops-1_blended_20015227_2&results-process=default

) can help you measure the electrical use of all your appliances and

electronics. It's an easy way to find which devices are burning a lot

of power whether they're turned on or off.

Find energy-efficient products. Another way to avoid phantom loads is

to look for energy-efficient products whenever you're shopping. A

good place to start is by looking for an Energy Star (

http://tinyurl.com/24pgg ) label. You also can check out the

Department of Energy's recommendations (

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/procurement/eep_standby_power.html )

for buying products that use minimal standby power, and use this

database ( http://oahu.lbl.gov/cgi-bin/search_data.pl ) to check how

much standby power certain products use.

Looking for more strategies for saving energy? Here are a few more

energy saving tips (

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Alternative-Energy/2001-10-01/Save-

Energy-and-Money-Now.aspx

Share your own energy-saving strategies in the comments section below.

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/save-energy-

eliminate-phantom-loads_865-1.html

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__________________________________________________________

THE HOME ENERGY DIET

Learn how to get the most bang for your energy buck. The Home Energy

Diet, a MOTHER EARTH NEWS Book for Wiser Living, was designed to help

readers take control of their personal energy usage and costs so they

can save money, live more comfortably and help reduce environmental

impacts. With rising energy costs, homeowners are beginning to examine

the energy efficiency of their own homes, asking questions about where

energy comes from and how much it costs, how to choose new appliances

and what options exist for renewable energy.

Only $18.95!

http://tinyurl.com/2r4uc8 ( http://tinyurl.com/2r4uc8 )

___________________________________________________________

Recent Posts from the Alternative Energy Blog:

January 18 | What's Watt: How Much Electricity Are You Using? - This

week, I've been using a Kill-a-Watt at home. It's a small meter that

costs about $25, and you can use it to measure the electricity

consumption of your appliances and home electronics.

http://www.motherearthliving.com/blog/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/Whats_

watt_how_much_electricity_do_you_use_864-1.html

January 11 | Want to learn more about the benefits of compact

fluorescents (CFLs)? Here's a fast explanation of how the new

efficient light bulbs can be better.

http://www.motherearthliving.com/blog/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/The-Light-Comes-

On-CFLs-Explained_848-1.html

___________________________________________________________

Recent Tips from Mother Earth Living

Best Reading on Renewable Energy

by Heidi Hunt | January 4, 2008

The topic of alternative energy can be confusing. Fortunately, some of

the best minds in the field have condensed their decades of research

and innovation into an easily accessible form -- books.

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/Best-Reading-on-Renewable-Energy_838-1.html

Read and Share Comments:

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/Best-Reading-on-Renewable-Energy_838-1.html?show_comments=1#read

Simple Insulation Ideas and Tips

by Jaime Netzer | November 6, 2007

With winter on the way, it's a great time to evaluate the amount of

insulation in your home. Adding insulation is often an easy way to

significantly improve your home's energy efficiency and save money on

heating and cooling bills. If you're short on time for extensive

insulation projects, though, don't worry -- there are simple options

available, too.

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/Simple-Insulation-

Ideas-and-Tips_723-1.html

Read and Share Comments:

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/Simple-Insulation-

Ideas-and-Tips_723-1.html?show_comments=1#read

Find Financial Incentives for Renewable Energy

by Aubrey Vaughn | October 12, 2007

Find out how you can afford renewable solar and wind energy. Learn

about state and federal renewable energy incentives with these handy

information resources.

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/Find-Financial-

Incentives-for-Renewable-Energy_664-1.html

Read and Share Comments:

http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/alternative_energy/Find-Financial-

Incentives-for-Renewable-Energy_664-1.html?show_comments=1#read

______________________________________________________________

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None of what is recommend in this site is to be in leu of proper medical help. We do not treat disease in any way. We are here to educate you and give you information on the alternative processes available to you so that you can make informed decisions and take charge of your own health issues. We do not accept any liability for the advise and products we offer. We are required to advise you that none of the information or products offered on this site is accepted by the AMA nor the FDA. Please be advised and always seek professional medical advise when undertaking any suggestions in this site. Disclaimers and Policy