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This instructable is to be entered into the Efficiency contest. I decided to go with a different approach than some of the other instructables i saw for this contest; i will look at all the ways you can save electricity in your household with out any devices. This will help inform you to better use the electricity in your house with more awareness thus leaving a smaller carbon footprint and bettering the world one house at a time.
The best and maybe the hardest thing about following my instructable is that you need these 2 things:
-Yourself
-Dedication
Getting yourself isn't to hard but dedicating yourself to doing each of these things every single day is a tough one.
The best and maybe the hardest thing about following my instructable is that you need these 2 things:
-Yourself
-Dedication
Getting yourself isn't to hard but dedicating yourself to doing each of these things every single day is a tough one.
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Signing UpStep 1Slay the Vampires
INFO
The electronics that take the most electricity in your house are the vampires. These are devices that don't have an actual off button and take electricity constantly think you turn them off when they are really in stand-by mode and continue to use electricity. These vampires include:
- Power supplies, transformers and inefficient electronic devices.
- VCRs, DVD players and some audio systems.
- TVs and Set-top boxes
- Microwave ovens
- Computers, digital monitors and printers
- Air conditioning systems with remote control.
- Devices with "Instant on" functions, with remote control receivers, or waiting for the user to interact.
- Devices with a stand-by light or clock.
- Power adapters (such as wall warts), whether they are powering a device or not.
- Some home video game consoles (e.g. Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 & Sony PlayStation 3)
Here is the vampire chart from the Department of Energy:
http://i42.tinypic.com/2n80mye.png
HOW TO SOLVE IT
Now how to solve the problem of the vampires. There are many ways you can go about this.
1) Surge Protector
Plug all the devices that are vampires into a surge protector and when you are done using said devices don't flip the switch on the item, flip it on the power strip. You can get a surge protector at most all purpose stores such as Walmart or order them online.
2) Unplug It!
This correlates with the previous method but is better used for devices in the kitchen or places that have plug sockets in easy reach; it is to simply unplug the devices when you don't use them. A very good example is the mircrowave. How often do you really look at the time? Unplug it.
3) Super Surge Protector
The easiest but most expensive route is to get yourself a auto switching surge protector. Basically what they do is turn themselves off when a device plugged in goes into standby mode. One of the name brand auto switching surge protectors is the Smart Strip.
The electronics that take the most electricity in your house are the vampires. These are devices that don't have an actual off button and take electricity constantly think you turn them off when they are really in stand-by mode and continue to use electricity. These vampires include:
- Power supplies, transformers and inefficient electronic devices.
- VCRs, DVD players and some audio systems.
- TVs and Set-top boxes
- Microwave ovens
- Computers, digital monitors and printers
- Air conditioning systems with remote control.
- Devices with "Instant on" functions, with remote control receivers, or waiting for the user to interact.
- Devices with a stand-by light or clock.
- Power adapters (such as wall warts), whether they are powering a device or not.
- Some home video game consoles (e.g. Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 & Sony PlayStation 3)
Here is the vampire chart from the Department of Energy:
http://i42.tinypic.com/2n80mye.png
HOW TO SOLVE IT
Now how to solve the problem of the vampires. There are many ways you can go about this.
1) Surge Protector
Plug all the devices that are vampires into a surge protector and when you are done using said devices don't flip the switch on the item, flip it on the power strip. You can get a surge protector at most all purpose stores such as Walmart or order them online.
2) Unplug It!
This correlates with the previous method but is better used for devices in the kitchen or places that have plug sockets in easy reach; it is to simply unplug the devices when you don't use them. A very good example is the mircrowave. How often do you really look at the time? Unplug it.
3) Super Surge Protector
The easiest but most expensive route is to get yourself a auto switching surge protector. Basically what they do is turn themselves off when a device plugged in goes into standby mode. One of the name brand auto switching surge protectors is the Smart Strip.
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I'd like to add reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting to the list. Lots of things cannot be recycled, but could be composted and huge amount of waste saved from getting onto landfills. And it is fun.