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| Monday, October 15, 2007 |
| Tools I am using to save energy |
 I have been trying different products over the last few years that make saving energy easier. I have mentioned the kill-a-watt before and the energy saver bulbs, but I don't think I have pointed out the squid, the timers, or the adapter.
The kill-a-watt is used to see how much energy a particular appliance is using (either off or on). You can even keep something plugged in over a week or a month and get an average usage. It is a fairly simple tool, not very expensive, but the information it provides has been very useful in changing some of my habits. They also make great gifts if you know someone who might be interested in taking action to save energy.
The squid works just like a more traditional power strip. However, unlike a normal power strip, this design allows you to use each outlet even with large brick-like plugs. The squid works well as a charging station with my cellphone, iPod, digital camera, etc. When I am done charging I can hit the off button on the squid and prevent "phantom draw" from the fully charged appliances.
The timers are a simple and sometimes overlooked means of saving electricity. I plug my cable modem and wireless router into the timers and set them to turn off when I am asleep and on when I am awake. If you are only home and awake for a few hours of the day, why keep your modem and router on 24/7?
The adapter is something new I am working with. Some of my electronics are older and the plug adapters are not very energy efficient. Just touch the brick and you can feel how hot it is. I have my cordless phone base stations plugged into a kill-a-watt and I am monitoring the usage. Switching from the older plug to a newer more energy efficient plug should help me save electricity over the long run.
- Kill-a-Watt Electricity Usage Monitor
- Globe Indoor/Outdoor Lights Timer Kit, 2-Pack
- PowerLine 600mA Universal Adapter #0900-74
- Power Sentry 5-Outlet PowerSquid Power MultiplierLabels: Saving Energy |
| posted by Boston Gal @ 1:55 PM *
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| 4 Comments: |
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My monthly utilities bill averages around $50. Any savings generated by these devices would be far outweighed by their cost.
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I'm going to have to look into finding one of those killawatt meter readers. Thanks for the great information.
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Yo Anonymous you must not be very good at math... A one time investment into any of these devices if it saves you on your electricity will pay you back - you pay that bill month after month after month after month after month.
The only challenge is figuring out how long the pay back period is. At some point it will pay you back and then keep saving you money...
What else do you buy that does that for you? For the cost of a cheeseburger, fries, and a few beers you can change your energy consumptive habits for a life time!
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I recently upgraded to the CFL bulbs, the prices on these have recently gone down at major retailers such as Target and WalMart. Meanwhile my utility (in Southern Nevada) has been raising electricity rates like there's no tomorrow. So I agree that saving energy is becoming more economical with time.
Another benefit to the CFL's is that they last longer and need to be replaced less often; I recently installed some in my mother's kitchen, in the high up tough to reach sockets, so she no longer has to worry about them burning out anytime soon.
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My monthly utilities bill averages around $50. Any savings generated by these devices would be far outweighed by their cost.