TAKE A STEP: UNPLUG IT

Ever notice that your cell phone charger stays warm even when you are not using it? It stays warm because it continues to use electricity any time it is plugged in. Take a step to improve our environment by unplugging your cell phone charger when your phone is charged. Most modern cell phones recharge in a short amount of time. This means that, if you leave your charger plugged in all the time, you may be wasting more than 95 percent of the electricity it uses.

Many other appliances use electricity even when turned off. It is estimated that for most households, about 5 percent of their energy consumption is spent on machines that are turned off but that are still consuming energy, emitting about 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year. It can also save you money on your electric bills.

It could be time for an entire household energy audit. If you are not using the spare clock in the guest room, unplug it. If you only use the refrigerator in the garage three times a year, unplug it. If you have a tool recharger in the garage that you only use occasionally, unplug it. All of these can be energy hogs, costing you money and adding to global warming.

Take a step and unplug it.

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