What’s eating away at your cash reserves without your knowledge?
The Bite
No, we’re not talkin’ couch cushions. A phantom load is the energy that’s sapped by appliances when they’re plugged in, but not on. Plug your devices into power strips that you switch off each night to achieve energy symbiosis.
The Benefits
· Less bank account-leeching. 40% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while they’re turned off.
· Less parasitic exploitation of the earth’s resources. If we averted phantom loads in all U.S. homes, we could shut down 17 power plants.
· It’s easier than contracting malaria. Power strips with surge protectors make it easy to “unplug” many appliances at once.
Personally Speaking
All of our offices use power strips, and we love clicking the off switch at night since it means that happy hour is right around the corner.
Wanna Try?
· Smart Strip Power Strip – smarty-pants device that senses when electronics are off, then “unplugs” them; also has space for “always on” appliances such as clocks and the fridge ($40).
· Belkin SurgeMaster – has nine outlets, three phone-line inputs, and safety covers for the kids ($29).
· Intermatic Appliance Timer – a timer that turns off lamps and electronics; use it when you’re outta town ($5).
· Kill-a-Watt – find out how much energy various appliances are using ($24).
