Facts About Televisions
The invention of television revolutionized the Information Age. For the first time, news and events were visually broadcast live into the living rooms of America. Advertisements began to reach more people than ever before. And Americans made the TV dinner a common meal as they watched their favorite programming.
The television set used to be a novelty item for families, but now 98 percent of American adults own at least one television, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). Here are some facts about the tube most of us have in our living rooms:
- There are currently about 275 million televisions in the U.S., which consume more than 50 billion kWh of energy each year. That’s about 4 percent of each household’s average electricity use.
- According to Nielsen Media Research, the average American household tunes into eight hours of television per day.
- An ENERGY STAR-qualified television uses about 30 percent less energy than a standard television.
- In the 1940s, the FCC assigned Channel 1 for mobile services use, but did not re-number the other channels. That is why television typically does not have a channel one.
- On Feb. 17, 2009, American television stations made a complete switch to digital signals.
E-Waste
Televisions are huge contributors to electronic waste. The U.S. EPA estimates that 82 percent of televisions, or 20.6 million units, were disposed of, primarily in landfills, between 2006 and 2007. That means only 18 percent, or 6.3 million units, were recycled.
Televisions contain hazardous materials (most notably lead) that can leach out of landfills over time. Many areas have banned televisions from landfills because of the hazards of lead leachate. When your television has reached its end of life, make sure to take it to your local recycling center.
- Consumer Electronics Association http://www.ce.org/Research/Sales_Stats/1216.asp .
- Energy Star http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=TV .
- "Statistics on the Management of Used and End-of-Life Electronics" Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/manage.htm .
- (09/21/2006). "Nielsen Media Research Reports Television's Popularity Is Still Growing" Nielsen Media http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=4156527aacccd010VgnVCM100000ac0a260aRCRD.
