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(ARA) – Vampires may be hot right now in the entertainment world, but “vampire power” – the slow, invisible energy drain caused by leaving electric devices plugged in – simply sucks.

Every electrical item you leave plugged in, from your home computer to your high-def, flat-screen TV, draws power even while it’s turned off. This “vampire power” drain adds up, costing consumers about $10 billion a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Reducing Vampire Power in your home is an easy way to do your part, both helping the environment and reducing your family’s carbon footprint – plus it could save you 10 percent of your family’s electric bill, according to the Intrusive Residential Standby Report.

Vampire power – or “standby power” – refers to the power many electric and electronic items draw while in “stand by” mode, when they are plugged in, but not turned on. Virtually every item you plug in draws some standby power, but major electronic items like PCs and TVs are the biggest power-sucking culprits.

You can reduce vampire power drain with a few simple steps:

  • Buy ENERGY STAR rated products. These products are designed to not only use less power when operating, but to draw less standby power as well. Items ranging from dishwashers to laptops carry the rating. Log on to www.ENERGYSTAR.gov to learn more about the product rating program.
  • Don’t leave your laptop, cell phone, iPod or other chargers plugged into the wall outlet. Even these innocent-seeming cords draw vampire power. Instead, plug chargers into a product designed to halt vampire power, like the iGo Laptop Charger. The device uses up to 85 percent less power than standard chargers and you never have to turn it on or off. You can purchase a range of adapters that allows you to use the charger with virtually any electronic device that requires one. Visit www.iGo.com to learn more about this product.
  • Streamline the number of devices you have to plug into the wall. Like most of us, you probably can’t live without your PC or DVR and need to leave it plugged in. But do you really need a TV in every room of the house and three game consoles – one for each kid? Reducing the number of devices in your home will reduce the amount of standby power you use and possibly help you to streamline your life a bit.
  • Unplug your appliances when they are not in use.  And when it’s not practical to unplug some devices, like the PC, Wii game system or flat screen TV, you can keep them plugged in using a power management device that halts vampire power, like the iGo Power Smart Tower. With an instant wake-up button and four always-on outlets, the iGo Power Smart Tower ensures that you’ll always have power for your devices as soon as you need it without wasting energy.

To learn more about vampire power, how it impacts the environment and consumers’ wallets as well as additional tips to minimize its effect, visit www.VampirePowerSucks.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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