5 Ways to Save Energy with Consumer Electronics

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As energy prices continue to rise, consumers are expected to take a financial hit this summer.

Think about it this way ... Some new big screen TVs can use as much energy each year as a new refrigerator, dishwasher or clothes washer -- roughly 500kWh/year. Add up the 3.4 million new TVs purchased every year and by 2010 there will be more TVs than people in the U.S. The national energy use for TVs will increase by more than 50% by the end of the decade. Here are 5 Ways to Save Energy:

1. Choose your TV smartly. If you're in the market for a new television, there are three key factors to consider for energy efficiency-screen size, technology type (LCD, Plasma or CRT), and resolution. All three factors will have different impacts on power consumption, so decide which technology and features are most important to you. And remember to compare similar screen sizes and display technologies to make a fair assessment on energy use.

2. Unplug your power adapters. For every person in the U.S., there are five power adapters. Power adapters continue to draw energy even when they are not connected to devices, so don't just unplug your device; unplug the adapter from the wall, too. Also, look for products that are shipped with ENERGY STAR qualified power adapters, which are 35 percent more efficient than conventional models.

3. Plug-in to power strips. Use a power strip as a central 'turn-off' point for your computer, printer, router, and other equipment that you can turn off at bedtime, or when you're done working. Switching off power strips when the devices plugged into them aren't being used will help reduce your energy consumption.

4. Put your computer and monitor to sleep. Because most computers are left on 24 hours a day, power management features are important for saving energy. Make sure that the "sleep" function is enabled for periods of inactivity. The equipment will enter a low-power mode and use less energy. Remember: screen savers do not save energy!

5. Recycle or donate your old electronics. As you upgrade to more energy-efficient consumer electronics, be sure to give your old ones new life. Recycling or donating electronics to your favorite charity helps reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. If every household in the U.S. were to recycle one old TV, we could keep more than 690 million pounds of waste from entering into our landfills.

To learn more visit www.energystar.gov