Monday, January 26, 2009
Students could be losing money to dozens of silent thieves in their own homes. Known as vampire appliances, some energy-sucking electronics can continue to use energy even when turned off.
Kathleen Waters, outreach coordinator for the Bureau of Air and Radiation at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, or KDHE, said appliances such as televisions go into a standby mode when turned off. When an appliance is in a standby mode, it uses energy because it is ready to go to work when you want it to.
“Even things like your microwave, they’re just waiting for you to push a button,” Waters said. “And they’re using power while they’re waiting for you.”
breakbox
The U.S. Department of Energy provides an equation that can help you figure out how much money one appliance costs each year depending on its use.
(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day ÷ 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
Computer modem and monitor (120 + 150 Watts × 4 hours/day × 365 days/year) ÷ 1000 = 394 kWh × 8.5 cents/kWh = $33.51/year
Coffee Maker (133 Watts x 5 hours/day x 365 days/year) ÷ 1000 =242.72 kWh x 8.5 cents/kWh =$20.60/year.
Clock Radio (10 Watts x 24 hours/day x 365 days/year) ÷ 1000 =87.6 kWh x 8.5 cents/kWh =$7.45/year
Source: US Department of Energy
According to the U.S. Department of Energy Web site, standby power can account for as much as 20 percent of home energy use. The department’s Berkeley Lab found that a typical microwave uses more energy displaying time on its digital clock than actually cooking food.
Josh Arpin, Bel Aire, Kan., senior, said he regularly unplugged all kitchen appliances, even his microwave, when they weren’t in use. He also unplugs everything in his studio apartment if he knows he will not be home for a few days. Arpin said he believed unplugging appliances made a difference in his energy bills.
“While this difference might not be significant to most, the savings add up over time,” Arpin said.
Arpin said his utility bills were generally significantly lower than his friends’.
Waters said employees at KDHE traded information and tips on how they can stay environmentally conscious within the building.
“We do what we need to be doing around the building in order to live up to our name,” Waters said.
Part of the way KDHE lives up to its name is by having a state-mandated Green Team. Every state agency in Kansas is required to have a Green Team that is responsible for ensuring the efficiency of state agencies.
Rodney Ferguson, public service executive with the Bureau of Waste Management for KDHE, is one member of the agency’s Green Team. Ferguson said he encouraged employees around the office to unplug appliances, too.
“The easiest way to manage power is to eliminate power you don’t need in the first place,” Ferguson said.
Waters said plugging TVs, DVDs and game systems into power strips and turning the power strip off can help save money as well, because they won’t drain energy in standby mode.
— — Edited by Sonya English
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