It’s National Vampire Awareness Day!
Today is National Vampire Awareness Day. While we aren’t talking about the blood-drinking phantoms of the our favorite scary stories and myths, these “vampires” are just as frightening.
“Vampire power,” also known as “phantom load,” is the electricity that electronics and appliances use while they are turned off or in standby mode.
According to Best Buy, the sponsor of National Vampire Awareness Day, the most innocent-looking electronics can fall prey to the unquenchable thirst of vampire power, such as:
- Adapters for MP3 players and cell phones
- Computers
- DVD/VCR players
- DVRs
- Game Consoles
Here are some creepy facts from Best Buy to make you think twice about leaving your electronics plugged in while not in use:
- The U.S. spends almost $4 billion annually on electricity lost to “vampire power,” according to the International Energy Agency.
- A computer left on continuously uses 70 to 250 watts – nearly as much power as an energy efficient refrigerator.
- A 500-watt, 65-inch LCD TV left on continuously consumes approximately $484 in electricity annually, producing 5,873 pounds of CO2.
- According to the Department of Energy, 40 percent of all household electricity consumption is consumed when products are turned off. This costs the average home almost $1,000 each year.
- The average microwave consumes more power when it is not in use.
Are you afraid of “vampire power?” With Halloween right around the corner, here’s a few ways to protect yourself from these monsters:
- Use a power strip: Plug your chargers (for laptops, electric toothbrushes, cell phones, etc.) into a power strip, and when you’re not using them, turn the power strip off. If this isn’t an option, simply unplug your chargers when your devices have full batteries.
- Turn your computer off: Completely shut down your computer and printer when not in use. If you are unable to do so, at least make sure the computer goes into a low-power sleep, standby or hibernate mode. Watch out for screen savers! Some can actually waste power.
- Look for the Star: Upgrade electronics and appliances to ENERGY STAR-rated models, which draw less power than average when in “off” mode.
Kristen
posted on October 30th, 2008 at 10:19 am
real vampires are better!
Madelyn Mateo
posted on October 30th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
This is GREAT!!!
I am so glad there is a National Vampire Awareness Day!
I had never heard of this or seen it at BEST BUY but there
should be signs everywhere.
You need to inform the world about this day. I will pass it on
to other environmentalists.
Cheers
Al
posted on April 8th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Sorry NOT good enough!
The government and big companies needs to stop just leaving it up to consumers on saving natural resources. It needs to START at the factories not at the consumer level!
Companies need to create electronic products that will terminate any electrical use when powered off/shutdown and not trickle IN electricity(Phantom power use) – these items need to be created at the manufacturing level and not have to leave it to the consumer to unplug or have to buy power strips!
It does not take a rocket scientist to put these thoughts into the process and while its good that the consumer cuts down on usage it would be BEST to start at the manufacturing process.
Imagine how much more we will save if this were put to good use?
Unplugged! « - The Green Trash Can Blog
posted on July 6th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
[...] phantom power use. Unplug such devices, or plug everything into a power strip that you can turn off when not in [...]
Marc K
posted on August 16th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I’m glad that UK mains power sockets come with switches! Having to unplug things becomes annoying… It wouldn’t put me off, but it’s hard enough trying to convince someone who lives in my house to actually use his Belkin 6-way power strip as it’s intended, and turn it off when he’s not charging either his phone or his wireless mouse. He just doesn’t care, and doesn’t think that it will make any noticeable difference. He leaves his monitor on standby too — I hate that setting! Manufacturers should’ve been forced to abolish it years ago, or at least be made to keep designing TVs and monitors with mechanical power switches in an easily accessible place… Instead of what we have now, where it is touted as an “eco feature” for the few good devices that have them. Completely backwards.
Sally G
posted on September 23rd, 2009 at 7:18 am
I LOVE National Vampire Day! I just bought a SmartStrip for my computer, so when I turn my computer (the plugged into the “controlling device” outlet) off, the printer and monitor (the “controlled outlets”) are turned off as well. My modem I switch off manually. The strip also has an uncontrolled outlet for my answering service.
I haven’t upgraded to Energy Star computer/monitor/printer yet, but I follow the old Yankee saying “wear it out, use it up, make it do, or do without”, so my MacPro computer is from 2002 and still going strong. Not sure what Snow Leopard is going to do with that, but then again, when will I really need the features of Snow Leopard (mac OS 10.6)? I’m still on Tiger (10.4), and that too is working well. What I will probably do when I am ready to buy something new is get a Mac laptop or netbook (when/if the latter comes out) so I am using less energy and not tied to my desk.
Let’s start a campaign to call/fax/e-mail electronics manufacturers on National Vampire Day to demand more easy-to-use off switches on all new appliances!
Sally G
posted on September 23rd, 2009 at 7:22 am
Correction: In my immediately preceding post, that should be “answering machine” (from late 1990s), not “answering service”—yes, it is a vampire, but it was paid for long ago and has no monthly fee other than the minimal electric use; a considered and reasonable tradeoff, IMHO.