We all love to relax on the couch and watch a great movie, but hours of gaming, streaming video binges and Facebook chatting can add up. Plus, vampire appliances continue to drain energy even when they’re not in use.
How much electricity are you wasting in your living room? Take this quiz to find out. Many of the answers may surprise you.
Q. What percentage of the average electric bill comes from vampire devices?
A. 5%–10%. The average American has 20–40 devices and appliances continuously plugged in and sucking power, even when they’re not in use.
Q. Which type of television uses more energy: plasma or LED?
A. Plasma TVs consume about twice as much power as LEDs. In fact, plasma models consume more than 1,400 kilowatt-hours each year, on average, which can add more than $200 to your electricity bill.
Q. True or False: Video game consoles cost Americans a combined $400 million annually in utility bills just from sitting idle.
A. True. Of the total $1 billion that American gamers pay in gaming-related utility bills, $400 million comes from consoles on standby. A National Resources Defense Council report translates that number into a staggering 10 billion–11 billion kilowatt-hours of usage each year.
Q. True or False: Your best bet for saving energy after using your gaming console is to turn it off with the power button or controller.
A. False. Unplugging the console is a sure way to make sure it’s not sucking any energy, as some power buttons go straight into standby mode and continue to use electricity. Go into settings to turn off standby mode completely, and set the device to turn off automatically when it’s idle.
Q. What is the most energy-efficient mode in which to leave your computer: power off, sleep mode, screensaver or log out?
A. Power off. The most energy-smart way to leave a computer for several hours is to turn it off completely. But if you must leave your computer on, put it in sleep mode.
Q. True or False: When connected to the charger, laptops use just as much energy as desktop computers.
A. False. While the CPU and monitor of a desktop computer can use more than 200 watts, laptops typically use less than 70 watts. But beware: Laptops continue to drain power if you keep them plugged in when they’re fully charged, so remember to unplug them once they reach 100%.
Q. True or False: It’s not good to turn the computer off and on too many times.
A. False. Most PCs reach the end of their useful life due to advances in technology long before the effects of being switched on and off multiple times have a negative impact on their service life. The less time a PC is on, the longer it will last.
Q. Which type of printer is more energy-efficient: inkjet or laser?
A. Inkjet printers, by a wide margin. Inkjets use an average of 30–50 watts while they’re in use and continue to draw 3–5 watts in standby mode. Laser printers, on the other hand, can use more than 600 watts per hour.
Q. Which TV device uses the most electricity when turned off: satellite or digital cable?
A. Digital cable boxes consume more than 17 watts when they’re turned off, whereas satellite set-top boxes use just over 15 watts. Remarkably, these boxes use almost as much energy when they’re off as when they’re on and active.
