Have you heard of “Phantom Power”?  No, it’s not a new musical or a super-hero character.  You do probably have “Phantom Power” in your home right now!power-line-1379594725aYn

Phantom Power refers to the electricity going to an unused item that is still plugged in.  Most sources guesstimate that at least 10%  of the electricity in the average American home is being consumed by Phantom Powder.  In an era where electricity isn’t getting any cheaper, roving blackouts are occurring in parts of the nation and the need for sustainable power is more apparent than ever Phantom Power needs addressing!

Fortunately controlling your Phantom Power takes no new equipment and virtually no time.  Just unplug those chargers and appliances after you finish using them!!  When we first started doing this we hung a reminder on the back of our door so we’d see it before we left home and unplug before we left.  If you’re going on a trip you might even want to unplug lights and clocks before you leave. Electricity is a valuable resource that we take for granted- let’s not let it go to chargers and appliances we’re not even using!

And guess what?  By unplugging all these items taking up power your energy bill will go down and you’ll end up with a FREE month of electric bills compared to when all these “phantom” products were plugged it!

Before you close out this post walk around your home and unplug all those Phantom devices.  
How many Phantom Power items did you just unplug?  Let me know in the comments below or email me at blog@keeper.com.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Olivia lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and 4 year old son.  She enjoys spending time in the mountains, studying about essential oils, natural remedies and herbs, as well as upcycling/ DIY projects.  Olivia’s family made the move last year towards becoming a Zero Waste household.  They have gotten down to one bathroom sized trashcan a month of garbage but hope to be totally Zero Waste by the end of 2015.

Like this?  Check out the rest of our Waste Less and Be Green in 2015 series for more tips!

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