energy vampires

Save Money and Energy -- Unplug Your Gaming Consoles!

jplatt — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Looking for energy vampires in your home? Look no further than your gaming system. Chances are, it's sucking power from your walls at right this very moment...

It's estimated that 35-40% of U.S. homes have some type of gaming console, and according to a new report from the NRDC, those game systems consume 16 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. But, says NRDC, if we take a few easy steps, "we could save approximately 11 billion kWh of electricity per year, cut our nation's electricity bill by more than $1 billion per year, and avoid emissions of more than 7 million tons of CO2 each year."

The first thing to do is look at your habits. It seems that most gamers leave their systems on when they're not in use -- and the devices usually don't have an automatic "sleep mode," so they continue to use as much energy as when you're using them to play a game. So it's important to actually turn your systems off when you're not using them.

Second, see if you can install power-saving features on your device, which will help it to power down after a certain amount of idle time. (See the link above for tips for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3).

Finally, if you're not a gamer yet, think about what system you're going to buy. According to the NRDC, the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 each use nine times more energy than the Nintendo Wii.

Indivudually, these tips won't necessarily save you a whole pile of cash, but when you consider that there are millions of gaming consoles in the U.S. alone, they add up to a huge environmental impact. Do your part, turn your games off, and help save the environment when you're not saving the princess.

Track Your Energy Use by the Second with The Energy Detective

jplatt — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:48:00 -0400

How much electricity do you use when you turn on a light? When you're watching TV? When you wash your dishes? How about if you're doing all three at once?

The Energy Detective ("TED" for short) from Energy, Inc., can answer these questions, helping you not only to see how much electricity you are using in your house at any given moment, but also to predict the size of your monthly electric bill.

Once hooked up, TED monitors your electricity usage, with just a two-second real-time delay. It also tracks your monthly usage, and calculates the exact amount you are spending on your electricity.

The basic TED unit costs $139.95 (more advanced models run up to $209.95) and can be installed in 10-15 minutes ("by an experienced homeowner or qualified electrician"). You can also order additional software called Footprints ($44.95) which allows you to track your usage on your PC.

So why install a TED? An energy monitor like this allows you to see exactly how much juice your house is using. Hook it up, and then you can walk around your house to see how much difference your TV makes, or find the "phantom loads" of so-called "vampire devices," the ones that keep using energy even though you think they are "off." The company says a well-aware homeowner can use the information from TED to make the device pay for itself in a matter of months.

5 Ways to Green Your PC -- Without Spending a Penny

jplatt — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:25:46 -0400

How many hours a day do you spend on your PC? Two? Four? Eight? Twelve? (Okay, I'm not quite that bad, but I do average about 8 hours a day.)

PCs -- especially desktops -- can use a fair amount of electricity, even more so when you start adding on extra devices. Newer PCs tend to be more energy-efficient, but you don't need to buy a new PC just to save a few dollars on electricity. There are a few things you can do that won't cost you more than a few seconds of your time...

1. Let it sleep -- As you've probably heard by now, a screensaver doesn't really save your computer from using any energy when it's not in use. Instead, go into your control panels and select "power options." Here, you can set an amount of time when your monitor or your entire PC will shut down if it's not in use. Try 10-15 minutes. That should do it.

You can also install a free program called Edison which can help to manage your PC's energy needs even more.

(BTW, if you're going to be away from your desk for more than 15 minutes, it's probably best to just turn your computer off.)

2. Let it breathe -- Look at the location of your computer. Is there enough room around it for air to flow freely? Computers burn hot, and most still need internal fans to cool them off. The more circulation there is around your computer, the less heat it will retain, and the less your fan will need to run. Keep your computer cool and it will keep your energy bill a bit lower.

3. Turn things off -- Too often our scanners, printers and other peripherals stay on for hours and hours when we're not using them. They don't need to be on, so turn them off.

4. Really turn things off -- Of course, many devices keep using electricity even though they are "off." Standby mode might make a device respond faster when it's needed, but it keeps sucking in electricity until that time. If you only use your scanner or printer occassionally, totally unplug them or turn off your surge protector until you need them.

5. Run anti-spyware programs often -- No matter how safe you think you are, evil little programs have a tendency to install themselves on your PC when you're not looking. The worst of the malware bunch can turn your computer into a zombie, using its memory to send out malicious spam emails without your knowledge. A busy piece of malware can keep your PC hopping for hours on end. Put a stop to them by finding and removing the programs.

There you go! Hopefully these simple tips will save you a little bit of energy and help you go a bit greener without having to buy a new computer first.

Cold Soda Equals High Energy Costs

jplatt — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:00:00 -0400

When the city of Juneau, Alaska, experienced a severe energy shortage last month, local businesses quickly unplugged some of their most energy-dependant appliances: vending machines.

According to the U.S. government's ENERGY STAR program, the average vending machine costs a business $311 a year in electricity costs alone. But an ENERGY STAR-qualified vending machine costs half that -- $158 -- or less if includes software to further reduce energy use during non-peak times.

When you consider that the average business has several vending machines, you can see how costs can quickly spiral out of control.

There are several ways to green your vending machines, which will help you to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One way is to replace older vending machines with ENERGY STAR-rated models. Another is to invest in the VendingMiser from USA Technologies. These plug-and-play devices use passive infrared sensors to monitor their surroundings, turning vending machines off when no one is around. The also monitor vending machine temperatures, keeping drinks cool while using less energy. USA Technologies says their VendingMiser makes any vending machine as efficient as an ENERGY STAR device and can save a business up to $150 a year in energy costs, while also reducing annual maintenance costs by another $40-$80.

So the next time you see one of your employees carrying an ice-cold soda back to their desk, think about how much that can or bottle is costing you, and take a small step to protect the environment. Your bottom line will thank you.