Do You Save Energy or Waste It?
BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN BRITAIN
ENERGY worth an estimated $1 billion, enough to power a city the size of Chicago, is being wasted in the United States each year. How? Devices such as computers, fax machines, VCRs, televisions, CD players, and even coffeemakers are left in standby mode. This is done to run their clocks, maintain their memories, and display their settings—or simply so that they will be ready for instant use.
It is reckoned that in Britain the energy consumed annually by such idling devices creates half a million tons of greenhouse gases, through electric powerhouse production. These gases are poured into the atmosphere and may be adding to the effects of global warming. “However fashionable green ideology is among young consumers, few make the connection between the generation of electricity and the warming of the planet,” says London’s newspaper The Times.
It is not generally realized that many electronic gadgets use almost as much energy on standby as they do when working at full capacity. A satellite TV system, for example, may use 15 watts when in use and only 1 watt less on standby. Bad design also plays a part. One CD player tested used 28 watts on standby, but another model with similar features used only 2 watts. But now a new computer chip has been designed that, it is claimed, can cut standby consumption from 10 watts to 1 watt or even to a mere 0.1 watt. It is hoped that in the continuing fight against pollution, manufacturers around the world will eventually use this chip, costing $2.50, as a standard component. Meantime, what can you do?
Britain’s environment minister observes: “The amounts of electricity for each gadget may seem quite small. But because there are 60 million of us in these islands [Britain] it adds up to quite a lot.” Household items such as refrigerators quite obviously cannot be switched off. But it is good to get into the habit of switching off lights that are not needed and switching other appliances off rather than leaving them in standby mode. This will not only save you money but also help to save our planet from unnecessary pollution.