Living both frugally and green often don't mesh. Many eco-friendly alternatives to everyday products are pricier than their more harmful counterparts, leaving those unable to afford the better option to act accordingly. However, now and then these concerns do come together. Switchable power strips both save money with little upfront cost and lessen one's energy impact upon the world.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while such devices are not even in use. Termed either “vampire power” or “phantom loads,” this accounts for 5% of the total energy used in the United States [University of California, Berkeley]. According to Savegreenly.com, this amounts to about $3 billion annually. Idealbite.com goes further to suggest that if all phantom loads in the United States were cut off, 17 power plants could be closed. On a more personal level, the D.O.E. estimates savings of over $400 annually by eliminating most household phantom loads, which according to Evo.com can account for up to 15% of a home's monthly energy bill.
So what can be done about these pesky phantom loads? Obviously, one could just unplug devices when not in use but this can become quite a hassle. The real solution, rather, is a common and practical one. Everybody is familiar with the typical power strip, It usually has between 5 and 10 outlets controlled by a single switch. Saving both energy and money is as easy as turning the strip off when none of the attached units are in use. While cheap and helpful, such units do have their limits. Primarily, there is no ability to discern between active and inactive outlets. It is either all or none. Such a feat, however, is made possible by using an auto-switching power strip such as the Smart Strip by BITS or APC's Power-Saving SurgeArrest. Both allow a group of outlets to be controlled by the state of a single. For example, a computer could be attached to the controlling outlet while all peripherals are in the controlled group. When the computer is turned off so too are all controlled devices. In addition, these units also include a group of “safe” outlets which are not controlled by the main. The Watt-Stopper by Goodsmart is a similar product that, in addition to having auto-switching capabilities, also includes an occupancy sensor and timer. A group of outlets can be turned off either when the room is empty or after a set amount of time has gone by (anywhere from 30 seconds to 30 minutes).
Obviously no solution is perfect. It is unlikely the problem of phantom loads can be erased completely. Certain appliances are relied upon to be active at all times (eg. refrigerators, clocks, and air conditioning systems). However, for those devices that need not be constantly at hand, power strips offer an inexpensive, eco-friendly, and money-saving solution.
