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Standby Power

WITH ELECTRICITY BILLS RISING, AMERICANS WASTE FOUR BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO ENERGY INEFFICIENCY. TO HELP CURB POWER PLUNGES, WE OFFER SOME TIPS ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

STANDBY POWER IS THE ELECTRICITY THAT APPLIANCES USE WHILE SWITCHED OFF – FOR EXAMPLE, THE CLOCK ON YOUR MICROWAVE AND THE DISPLAY ON YOUR DVD PLAYER.  TOGETHER, THESE SMALL “POWER VAMPIRES” CAN DRAIN A LOT OF ENERGY FROM YOUR HOME.

MEIER: WE THINK THAT STANDBY POWER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FIVE TO EIGHT PERCENT OF THE ELECTRICITY USED IN AN AVERAGE HOME.

THAT’S ALAN MEIER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA’S LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY.  TO REDUCE THE STANDBY POWER SUCKED FROM YOUR HOME, HE RECOMMENDS CLUSTERING RELATED APPLIANCES ON ONE-SWITCH POWER STRIPS THAT CAN BE EASILY TURNED OFF WHEN NOT IN USE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more about standby power from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

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