While it is great to try to make our house/business energy efficient, it also comes down to what we do inside the house – turning off the lights when not needed, unplugging “always” on devices.   Gordon Snyder had this great blog on Power Supply/Charger Energy Waste Explained and how keeping your chargers plugged in waste energy. 

I’ve had a few people recently ask me about power consumption by vampire devices in their homes – most specifically about power adapters for devices with rechargeable batteries like laptop computers, cell phones and iPods.

It is so easy to put a stake in these devices – unplug them.  But it does seem we have more and more chargers in our homes.  I counted at least 27 in my house -the list of chargers is: portable phone chargers (one for each phone = 5), cell phone chargers (2), games (2), camera (1), laptops (2), electric shaver, trimer, electric toothbrush, and always on devices:  nightlights (not sure, at least 4),  2 computers, TV, VCR, DVR, modem, router…   Needless to say, after reading Gordon’s blog, I made sure everything is unplugged until needed except the TV, VCR, DVR, nightlights, and computers.  And even those I think turning them off by the powerswitch would help (though the rebooting process for the router, cable modem, and DVR take a while – I guess I would have to become patient and not have instant on devices). 

How many devices do you have in your home that are sucking the power?

Mark Viquesney