Home Electronics

Many electronic devices continue to use small amounts of power, called "standby power" even when they're turned "off".

• Look for the Energy Star rating when purchasing new home electronic equipment. The Energy Star label ensures low standby power use for these devices.
• Unplug home electronics and office equipment or plug them into a single power strip with an on/off switch. Alternatively, "smart power strips" and "smart plugs", are available. From Advanced Wi-Fi connections to basic options, these devices offer surge protection and automatically turn off certain plugged in devices when not in use. When purchasing, understand how you intend to use.

Note: home entertainment equipment such as TVs, cable and satellite boxes, and DVRs will need to be reprogrammed or given time to reboot and download information when turned back on. You may want to plug such devices into a separate strip and only tum them off when you plan to be away for more than a few days.