Unplug the Beast and Save

April 26, 2018 8:45 AM
by Andrew Basmajian

One way to commune with our planet-loving friends and neighbors is to shoo away the bad actors quietly sucking electricity out of wall sockets in your home. These are the electronic appliances and devices that use energy when they’re plugged in, even if they’re “turned off.”

Most of these energy beasts go into “standby” mode, where they continuously suck a trickle of electricity to power features such as clocks and LED status lights. These little horrors account for 5 to 10 percent of a household’s total electricity use. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, that adds up to roughly $100 per year for each household, or more than $10 billion in annual energy costs nationwide!

Some energy slobs that might be draining your wallet include: 

The City of Santa Monica partners with Southern California Edison and SoCalGas to help you defeat energy and money-wasting monsters like these. Here are some tips:

For more information about saving energy, please visit sustainablesm.org/rebates.

This article was originally published in Seascape

Authored By

Andrew Basmajian
Sustainable Outreach Coordinator