Most likely, when you turn on your computer, your printer, scanner, and other peripherals come on too, even though you may only use these devices once or twice per week. Keep them turned off, and turn them on only when you need them, or use a smart power strip that turns them on and off automatically when you start up or shut down your computer!
Using a Smart Strip can cut the cost of vampire power in a home entertainment system in half. Even when your TV, DVD player, video game systems, and other electronics are turned off, they are still using electricity as long as they are plugged in. A Smart Strip makes it easy to cut off power to multiple devices when they aren't in use. Plug your TV or computer monitor into the "master" outlet on the Smart Strip, and plug any devices that you want to remain always on, such as a DVR or lamp, into the "constant-on" outlet. Other devices will only come on when the TV or computer monitor does, while devices plugged into the “constant-on” outlet remain on all the time.
Unplug power adapters and small electronics/appliances when not in use
Standby power, vampire power, and phantom loads refer to the electric power consumed by electronic appliances, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances, while they are switched off or in standby mode. A very common "electricity vampire" is a power adapter which has no power-off switch.
Make sure to unplug your cell phone and reusable battery chargers from the outlet when not in use. These use energy even when not charging! You can also save energy by plugging electronics and appliances into power strips and turning them off when not in use.
Studies at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have estimated that standby power may account for 5% to as much as 10% of total residential household power-consumption in the U.S. That adds up to that $3-6 billion in energy costs and is equivalent to the power generated by between 18 and 36 average power stations.
People sometimes use timers to turn on and off lights while away from home, to start and stop the coffee pot, or to charge their wireless home phones. Another good use of timers is power tool charging. You may only use a power tool a few times a month, but it may be sitting in a charger 24/7! You can use a timer to charge your tools or electronic gadgets intermittently; they’ll be ready when you need them without wasting energy unnecessarily. Inexpensive timers are available at local hardware stores.
Use clothes lines & racks to dry at least half of your laundry
Clothes dryers use 5-10% of a household’s daily energy use and are one of the most expensive home appliances to operate ($100-$200/year). They are also one of the most dangerous causing more than 15,000 home fires annually. If you would like to know how much energy and money it takes to launder your household’s clothes, try out this calculator.
Instead, line-dry your clothes inside or outside. Explore clothesline and rack options on urbanclotheslines.com. If you think that your homeowner’s association or condominium prohibits the use of clotheslines, here’s some good news! Maryland’s “Right-to-Dry” legislation (SB 224) went into effect on October 1, 2010 and requires condominium associations, homeowner associations, and cooperatives to allow homeowners to install clotheslines on their property. Learn more about the benefits of air-drying clothes.
TIP: Using hangers can really reduce the length of clothes line you need. (You’ll need a rod or taut wire for this approach). Use each hanger as a mini-clothes line for socks, dish towels, and the like. Install a rod over your washer dryer or use your shower rod for hangers during rainy or winter weather.
If you have severe allergies to pollen, check the weather and the Air Quality Index before you hang your clothes outside.
Use a microwave, outdoor grill, pressure or solar cooker
Cooking on a stove or using your kitchen oven, even for about an hour a day, can raise the overall temperature in your home by as much as four degrees. Heating caused by using your oven or stove makes it more difficult for your air conditioning thermostat to maintain proper room temperature. Using a microwave (which uses 66% less energy) or grilling outside can ease some of the burden on your air conditioning system, lowering your summer energy bills.
Go even greener by trying solar cooking! Search online for “solar oven retailers” or find instructions for making your own at home. Pressure cookers are another tool to save energy, and may be up to 70% more efficient than other cooking methods due to drastically reduced cooking times.
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