STOP PHANTOM LOADS!

Did you know that many of your electronics and appliances continuously draw power even when they are turned off?  It's true, and although it's only a small amount of power, when you think of all of these items you may have around your home, it really adds up.

Phantom Loaders Include:

TV's, VCR's, DVD Players and Recorders, Stereos . . .

Computers, Monitors, Printers, Scanners, Speakers . . .

Cell Phone Chargers, Lap Top Cords . . .

Microwaves, Coffee Pots . . .

Basically any item with an LED indicator light that is on or flashing is drawing some kind of power whether it's in use or not.

Now, if you're counting on your VCR or DVR to record your favorite show, or you count on your microwave clock to be on time for work in the morning, then you don't want to stop those phantom loads.  But, you certainly won't be using your monitor, printer, scanner and speakers when the computer is off.  So kill those phantom loads by either making sure to unplug things like cell phone chargers and lap top cords when they're not in use, and plug other things like your computer equipment and TV with surround-sound into a power strip that your can turn off and kill the load. 

There are also "smart strips" that you can purchase that will automatically cut power to say your computer and its peripheral equipment when you shut down the computer.  For more information on smart strips and other power-saving gadgets, check out this TreeHugger article.