Consumer electronics suck as much as 25% of their power when not in use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Your PC grabs 85% when it's not in use.
Eleven watts even when powered down adds 66 cents to a typical Californian's monthly energy bill. These silent siphons of energy, known as phantom loads, add about $28 to the average annual household power bill, according to the energy department.
Because unplugging everything in your home and office is unrealistic, consider buying a SmartStrip, a power strip and surge protector that automatically cuts off power to devices that are shut down.
A top-of-the-line AA nickel metal hydride MaxE battery from Ansmann Energy, distributed in the U.S. by Horizon Battery, costs about $4 and can be recharged 1,000 times. At 3 cents in electricity per charge, the battery's total cost comes to about $34. By contrast, 1,000 disposable AA batteries costing 30 cents apiece would cost about $300.
(classic Bacsik)
No comments:
Post a Comment