Make every day Earth Day with energy-efficient electronics
As we add more devices to our homes, we can be smarter with how we use them
VANCOUVER – This Earth Day, BC Hydro is encouraging British Columbians to take a closer look at when and how they power their electronic devices.
The amount of electricity used for home electronics has increased by more than 330 per cent since the 1970s. Phantom power also continues to increase – that’s when electricity is drawn by electronic devices when they are turned off but left plugged in.
The average Canadian home has more than 25 electronic devices that use standby power – these devices can cost individual households about $50 a year in electricity costs.
BC Hydro recommends unplugging electronics when they are not in use or using an advanced power bar to manage standby power and automatically turn off multiple devices.
Switching to energy efficient electronics is also a good way to manage your home’s energy use. An ENERGY STAR® electronic or appliance can make a difference in the long run.
- ENERGY STAR® televisions use at least 30 per cent less energy than standard models. If everyone switched to an ENERGY STAR® television, we would save enough energy to charge 9,200 phones a year.
- ENERGY STAR® laptops or desktops consume between 30 and 60 per cent less energy than conventional models, depending on how they are used. If everyone used a laptop instead of a desktop computer, we would save enough energy to watch 167,000 movies.
- The most efficient ENERGY STAR® set top box, or Personal Video Recorder (PVR), is up to 50 per cent more efficient than conventional models and could save you more than $20 a year.
- Approximately 70 per cent of the energy consumption of a PVR goes to standby power – that’s about 190 kilowatt hours a year or $18 a year.
BC Hydro is investing $1.6 billion in Power Smart programs over the next 10 years, including programs for low income customers, business customers and industrial customers. Since 2008, BC Hydro’s Power Smart programs have saved close to 4,776 gigawatt hours per year of electricity – that’s enough to power 440,000 homes annually.
BC Hydro provides tools, resources and incentives to help British Columbians conserve year-round and make every day Earth Day.
For more tips on how to be smart with your power, visit bchydro.com/powersmart.
For more information please contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
p. 604 928 6468