The world is attention to the environment this week as Live Earth concerts touch every continent. Many companies are “going green” in an effort to save power, money, and reduce the effect of pollution. Fortunately, there are many ways you can easily make an impact. We’ll touch on some of these methods over the next few weeks.
Unplug your unused power transformers
You can save a significant amount of electricity by simply unplugging your unused laptop, camera, phone, iPod, … chargers. Those boxy transformers require a trickle of electricity, even when they are not connected to a device. It has been estimated that homes and some businesses could save up to 5% of their electricity by simply unplugging these components when they are not in use.
This is also an issue for Televisions, VCR’s, and other appliances that sit in stand by mode for quicker starting. You can save electricity by placing them on a power strip and turning off the strip when you are not using them.