Don't leave appliances on standby
Your standby button is an energy-eating monster; some appliances still use 25% of their normal power in standby mode.
Although your TV screen may look dormant, it’s actually using energy at an alarming rate behind that innocent-looking façade. Recent studies have shown that gadgets left on standby are responsible for 4m tonnes of excess carbon dioxide each year.
It's also estimated that a typical UK household could save £37 per year on electricity bills if they always fully switched home appliances off rather than leaving them on standby.
The good news is that recent government legislation has meant that standby buttons are beginning to be phased out, making energy efficiency within your home much easier to achieve. However, rather than waiting for these changes to begin, why not get a head start by switching off your appliances now? You’ll be saving energy, money and cutting your carbon emissions.
makes you think...
A survey by the Energy Saving Trust found that the average household has up to 12 gadgets left on standby or charging at any one time.
It's estimated that more than £740m of electricity is wasted every year in the UK by things being left ticking over - the equivalent of more than two power stations' output.
need more help?
If you struggle to get into the routine of switching appliances off properly by hand, there are now a number of gadgets available which will deal with the standby problem for you automatically.
Click here to browse and buy anti-standby devices and other energy-saving products in the Big Green Shop.
