Thursday, May 21, 2009

GREEN LIVING: The True Effect of Electrical Appliances Left on Standby

This figure shows the relative fraction of man...Image via Wikipedia

The True Effect of Electrical Appliances Left on Standby by David James Wilcox

Each year over one million tons of a damaging greenhouse gas is pumped into the atmosphere by electrical appliances left on standby. These appliances, which range from televisions and DVD players to dishwashers and tumble-dryers, are significant contributors to global warming.

The true effects that these appliances have on the environment are often overlooked. Every year enough electricity to power a city the size of Birmingham for a year or keep Britain's street lights burning for four years is wasted.

Televisions and DVD players are two major contributors to this issue. It is estimated that 99% of households own a television. The average TV is left on standby for more than 17 hours a day which wastes a staggering amount of energy. The growing popularity of DVD players over the years also means that many UK households now own at least one DVD player, many of which are never actually turned off.

It isn't always the obvious electrical appliances that waste energy either. Whilst most people are aware of the fact that televisions and DVD players waste electricity when left on standby, many people would be shocked to learn that dishwashers left "on" at the end of their cycle consume 70 per cent of the power used when they are running, washing machines use just under 20 per cent of their normal electricity requirement on standby and tumble-dryers can use 38 per cent of power while waiting at the end of a cycle.

Together, these appliances are producing a massive amount of greenhouse gases. Experts have suggested that the total power used while an appliance is on standby is equal to the electricity used during the time it is on.

Obviously this is an issue that needs to be addressed. Not only is it damaging the environment, it is costing consumers significant amounts of money on their energy bills. Switching off electrical appliances rather than leaving them on standby makes a huge difference and is a measure we can all take to reduce global warming.

Reduce the amount of electricity you waste by turning electrical appliances off. The energy you save will reduce your gas and electricity bills and help reduce global warming.

David James Wilcox is a web author based in the UK.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_James_Wilcox
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-True-Effect-of-Electrical-Appliances-Left-on-Standby&id=2253438

http://thezeitgeistischanging.blogspot.com/
http://psychedelichippiemusic.blogspot.com/
http://psychedelichippiefashion.blogspot.com/
http://www.soul-flower.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=SOS&AFFIL=Robert_Muller

No comments:

Post a Comment