You all know about phantom or vampire usage, right? From Wikipedia:
Phantom load, sometimes referred to as standby power or leaking electricity is the power consumed by any device while it is switched off.
Many domestic appliances consume power when they are nominally off. Stereos, VCRs and television sets are examples. The phantom load can be caused by miniature transformers (such as wall warts) that convert AC electricity into DC electricity... Phantom load is also caused by devices which feature small LEDs or other indicators that they still have power; these indicators obviously use power themselves.
For any single appliance the load is never very large (the most inefficient designs draw 15-20 watts [2]), however when factored over all of the appliances in a country like the U.S. the load can come to billions of watts.
Mapgirl posted this graphic to help give us a clue about what we are using/wasting with phantom loads.
Over the summer, we got rid of as many phantom loads as we could. The computer and TVs are plugged into surge protectors that we flip off when not in use. We unplug the cell phone chargers when we aren't using them.
Right now, the only phantom loads we have are the DVR box (if we turn it completely off we lose everything and it takes up to an hour to restore service. No thanks...), the alarm clock and the timer on the stove (stupid electric stove. If it were gas I would unplug it.)
I totally agree with Mapgirl. After seeing this chart, a plasma tv will never grace my doorstep.
(Photo from scottmosch at flickr)
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