Reducing your energy drain

All around our apartments and houses we have a multitude of electronic devices plugged in at any given time. Most of the time we don't even think about how this could be affecting our energy costs. Even though your electronics are 'turned off' they generally still use some standby power if they are left plugged in. This is commonly referred to as 'phantom' energy usage. As we accumulate more and more electronic devices in our homes and workplaces this phantom electricity usage can become a larger source of energy waste.

The government of Canada is also looking at ways to combat standby energy use by implementing energy-efficiency regulations for manufacturers. These regulations encourage development of low energy use technology which will help to decrease energy consumption while in standby mode and also when the devices are being used. Natural Resources Canada provides a detailed list of home appliances and devices that fall under these regulations:  NRCAN Energy Efficiency Regulations

Every bit of energy that you save does count! Environment Canada has many suggestions pertaining to energy usage that will help save you money as well as protect the environment: Environment Canada Eco-Tips. 

Did you know that between 5 and 10 percent of you total energy usage per year comes from these electronics that are plugged in all the time? This can add up to 100-200$ extra on your annual energy costs!

Challenge:

We challenge you to unplug your small appliances and electronic devices between uses for 1 month and see how easy it can be to reduce your energy consumption!

Tip: 
-devices in close proximity can be plugged into power bars which can be shut off at the flip of a switch making this task much easier.

Additional Information:

To find out more about which energy sapping devices are costing you money check out these websites:     

CBC News

Natural Resources Canada- Canadian Big on consumer eletronics 

Natural Resources Canada- Satndby Power 


Maritime Electric

 To accept the challenge click here