Today kicks off High Electric Bill Season for us, so we’ve been looking for ways to reduce consumption wherever possible. Of course, there are things we can’t live without in the summer. Like air conditioning. Our fiesta-size margarita blender. Or the sixty-foot-tall neon arrow pointing to our swimming pool that says “Male Swimsuit Models Needed Here.”
We’d always heard that appliances use a lot of electricity just by being plugged in, whether they’re being used or not, but we never took the time to find out how much. So when we discovered the Belkin Conserve Insight, we went on a hunt around our house for the biggest energy suckers.
The device is super-easy to use. Simply plug any appliance or gadget into it, hit the instant-read buttons and quickly see the wattage being consumed, the monthly or yearly cost of that single item, as well as the CO2 output into the atmosphere.
Of course, we weren’t surprised that the refrigerator was an energy hog. Ditto the televisions. But items like the microwave, lamps, and VCRs (hello, why do we even own one still?) that aren’t even used on a daily basis are still consuming large amounts of electricity combined.
So we’re trying to unplug our laptop, mobile phones and other devices as soon as they’re charged because unless you’re using another Belkin product we love, they’re using electricity even after they’re fully charged.
It may not be a huge impact individually, but just think if each of us kept rarely used appliances unplugged until we need them. Together in just a matter of days, we could save enough energy to power our rotating bed for an entire year.
It’s all about priorities.
$29.99
www.belkin.com
