Electronics

For items like computers or printers, one rule of thumb applies: If you’re not using it, turn it off. Make “switch it off when done” a standard household habit for all lights and devices, including computers, game consoles and TVs.

If you don’t have a power strip, you should always unplug charging devices for all electronics because they continue to pull power even if the electronic device is disconnected.

Enable the sleep mode on your computer and configure your computer to hibernate automatically after 30 minutes of inactivity. A typical computer and monitor system left on 24/7 can waste $40 a year in electricity. Screensavers actually increase your computer’s energy consumption by making it work harder.

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Use a power strip if possible so that you can easily switch off multiple devices at once when you’re not using them. “Standby” or “always on vampire power” feeding perpetually plugged-in electronics and appliances is an unnecessary waste of energy that is easily prevented.

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The power consumption of computer or TV displays vary significantly based on the display technology used, the manufacturer and build quality, the size of the screen, what the display is showing (static versus moving images), the brightness of the screen and whether or not power saving settings are activated.

Acknowledgment: “The information, data, or work presented herein was funded in part by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), U.S. Department of Energy, under Award Number DE-EE0006978, through the Energy Division of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.”
 
Disclaimer: “The information, data, or work presented herein was funded in part by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.”