Today’s homes are filled with an alphabet soup of electronic equipment—TVs, PCs, VCRs, DVD players, to name but a few. Together, they use a significant amount of energy. Even portable devices such as cell phones and laptops need to be recharged at home, further increasing your energy bill. What you might be most surprised to learn is that consumer electronics use, on average, 40% of their electricity while the devices are turned off or in “standby” mode.

How can you reduce the energy use of your electronics?

A few small changes can have a big impact on your energy bill. For example:

• One of the biggest energy uses for most home electronics is the power used while in “standby” mode. If you are not using a device, unplug it, or use a power strip with an on/off switch to fully power down. And be sure to unplug or switch off all nonessential devices before going out of town.
• Battery chargers that are plugged in to the electric outlet use power even when not actively charging. After your cordless phone, portable music player or other portable device is recharged, unplug the energy charger. Power strips with an on/off switch work great for controlling multiple battery chargers.
• Consider buying electronics with the ENERGY STAR^® label. ENERGY STAR recognizes the top performers in energy efficiency in more than 40 categories, including:
  • Answering machines
  • Cordless phones
  • Combination cordless phones/answering machines
  • TVs, component TV units, and TV monitors
  • VCRs
  • DVD players
  • TV/VCR/DVD combination units
  • Home audio equipment (CD players, mini/shelf systems, receivers, rack systems)
• A wide range of ENERGY STAR electronics is available in your favorite brands. In fact, two-thirds of the 20 top-selling TVs have the ENERGY STAR label.