Power-Strippin'

You may or may not have heard this bit of advice before now. If you're hearing this for the first time, congratulations on an easy money- and environment-saving tip. If this tip is a repeat for you, please take action -- this one is easy!

Many of our everyday appliances continue to use energy even when they are not in use. For instance, our televisions, DVD players, and gaming systems might appear to be "off," however even in standby mode, they continue to draw electricity from the outlet. And your cell charger? Most models continue to use some electricity even without the phone still attached.

That is, if it's still plugged in. The solution is easy -- unplug your cell phone charger when it is not in use. And your multimedia center in your living room? You likely had to buy a power strip in order to accomodate the many electronics packed onto your entertainment center (but if not, I urge you to go out and purchase one). Even a cheap one will do the trick and the few dollars will be made up quickly in power bill savings. I turn mine off whenever the equipment is not in use.

You're a simple "click" away from reducing your power bill and minimizing your negative envirohuman impact. Now, when you're finished watching your fave sports team kill their opponent, you can kill the juice by simply flipping the switch on your power strip (you'll want to position it for easy access).