Climate & Nature...
Green Tech Apr 30, 2009
Save Energy by Charging Devices Through Your Computer
How many devices do you have on your person or on your desk right now? Sitting in front of me today, I've got my cell phone, camera, and iPod -- plus all of their respective chargers. I chage most of them by plugging them into wall sockets, but a new study says that might not be the most efficient use of energy.
It turns out that most of our external AC/DC power supplies are only 30-40% efficient. While a device is charging, 60-70% of the energy is wasted -- leaked out of the power cord instead of going into charging our electronics.
A solution? Charge your device through your computer. According to the 1394 Trade Association, using FireWire cables or USB cables to charge your devices are not only 85% efficient, they are also often faster.
Of the two, USB cables are much slower -- FireWire is 18 times faster, according to the 1394 TA (which is, after all, the industry trade group for FireWire).
Of course, out of all of my portable devices, none come with FireWire cables and only two (my iPod and my camera) come with USB cables capable of charging the gizmos. But if I had more of the right cables, and especially if the manufacturers supplied me with them, I'd be more inclined to charge everything while I'm working on the computer.
Will this work for you? Your mileage may vary, but still, it's something to consider as you're going about your day and as you're buying new electronics.
