Vampire Electronics

by Maya P.

Vampire electronics suck, literally. From cellphone chargers to computers to stereos, our houses are filled with vampire electronics. When these electronics are not in use, they are still using or “sucking” energy from the grid. In the average American household, around 10% of the energy bill can be from leaving these monsters running (energy.gov).

Here’s some easy solutions that will save the planet, and save you time & money too:

Power off for pleasant times

Turn everything off. All the way off. Not just on sleep mode, all the way off. In sleep mode those electronics are still sucking and wasting energy. Make sure to turn your computer all the way off for the night, or whenever you’re gone for extended periods, especially on day trips, that can be a whole 24hrs of energy saving! Whenever you pause a video game, save it and turn the console all the way off. It might take an extra minute but its worth it, trust me. Your pets don’t need to watch TV while you’re gone, just turn it off! They might even thank you for not having to see a million reruns of Dance Moms.

Unplug for unending fun

That old computer you use once a month? Unplug it! The stereo that sits at home while you’re gone all day? Turn that one off too! Your phone probably takes an hour to charge, so don’t leave it plugged in all night. That’s about 8 hours of energy wasting. Try plugging it in when you’re getting ready for work or school. Your charger is also constantly sucking energy to nowhere, so make sure to fully unplug it from the wall too. Take a break from TV and unplug it for a day. While you’re at it, go for a walk and enjoy the outdoors!

Power strip problem solvers

A quick fix for computers, printers and so much more, power strips are the way to go. Plug all your electronics at your desk into one of these, and at night all it takes to save the world is the flip of a switch. By switching off the power strip, all your electronics are turned fully off and won’t suck any power while you’re away. These are also helpful for keeping all your electronics organized!

Start a school movement

Get your school to turn off their computers at night instead of leaving them all in sleep mode. Make a petition, collaborate with your school’s Earth Corps club, take action for a greener school!