ENERGY UNPLUGGED

The average home contains 25 consumer electronics devices. So to go green, start with what you8217;ve got.

The average home contains 25 consumer electronics devices. So to go green, start with what you8217;ve got. First, get a handle on your current electricity usage. A device called Kill A Watt, from P3 International Corp., makes for a nifty parlor game of Guess Watt with anything that plugs into a socket.

One surprise might be how much energy some devices use even when idle or turned off. Consumer electronics suck as much as 25 percent of their power when not in use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. For computers, the figure can be much higher 8212; up to 85 percent for a PC that8217;s always left on.

That8217;s because many devices don8217;t really turn off8212;they operate in standby mode, awaiting commands from a remote control. Many also have digital displays that stay on.

For example, a computer, monitor and cable modem together suck 11 watts even when powered down, adding 66 cents to a typical Californian8217;s monthly energy bill. An idle CD player can munch 6 watts. So can a switched-off TV.

It adds up. These silent siphons of energy, known as phantom loads, add about 28 to the average annual household power bill, according to the energy department.

You can tame these electricity vampires by unplugging devices between uses. If that8217;s too much effort, consider buying a SmartStrip, a power strip and surge protector that automatically cuts off power to devices that are shut down.

It8217;s designed to be used with computers or home entertainment systems where devices operate in clusters. If, for example, the TV is off, the SmartStrip also shuts down the DVD player, surround-sound speakers and cable box.

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What about cell phones, digital cameras, iPods and other rechargeable devices? Try taking them off the grid, at least partially. A Solio charger, about the size of a computer mouse, attaches with a suction cup to a window, where it soaks up enough energy from the sun to fully power up two cellphones.

For those on the move, there8217;s a solar backpack from Voltaic Systems Inc. Fully charged, the backpack8217;s solar panels can juice up to three iPods. The company is expected to come out this spring with a version powerful enough to charge laptops.

Wind power is another alternative. The 5-inch HYmini wind turbine attaches to your arm while running, downhill skiing or biking. A 20-minute session with wind speeds of 19 mph can capture enough power to keep an iPod going for 30 minutes, according to Miniwiz, the Taiwanese company that makes HYmini.

Alternative energy isn8217;t always the cheapest or fastest way to charge up. The Solio costs 80 to 200. The solar backpacks are 199 to 599. And the HYmini is 50 to 70. Most take hours of movement or sunbathing to fully charge.

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A more economical and easier tweak is to reduce battery use, which might help cut down on the 15 billion disposable batteries produced each year.

A top-of-the-line AA nickel metal hydride MaxE battery from Ansmann Energy, distributed in the United States by Horizon Battery, costs about 4 and can be recharged 1,000 times. At 3 cents in electricity per charge, the battery8217;s total cost comes to about 34. By contrast, 1,000 disposable AA batteries at 30 cents apiece would cost about 300.

Road warriors who don8217;t want to get loaded down with a charging unit might consider USBCell, which looks and acts just like a AA battery, except the top pops off to reveal a USB head that can plug into a laptop8217;s USB port to recharge. A pair will set you back 17.50.
8211; Alex Pham Los Angeles Times