Wow! This is very timely. I just got my electric bill and yelled ouch so loud the dogs barked! I like the approach in this relatively long article (see link for entire article). Easy stuff we can ALL do to help ourselves, our wallets and our future – DLT!
From Lifehacker:
Last month my electric bill was $300. That was ridiculous. Something had to be done. By using gadgets, common sense, and a constant awareness of power consumption, I’ve made changes that will cut my power bill by at least a third. And that’s not just temporarily—that’s forever. And, I’m doing it without really sacrificing anything.
I’ve always used more power than normal people because 1) I work at home on a 30-inch monitor and a 27-inch iMac, and 2) I have an assload of electronics. The 63-inch Plasma TV (larger TVs use more already, and plasma draws three times as much power as LCD), as well as water coolers, various NASes, and the need to keep some lights on during the day for my rabbits are a constant drain on the grid. But what could I do? Could I still realistically use all my devices when I wanted them, but still draw a lot less power? Yes. Here’s how you can do it too.
I’m going to start with common sense tips that require no extra equipment so anyone can start lowering their power consumption right now. But if you’re serious about lowering your electricity usage dramatically, I’ll discuss tools like the eMonitor that tell you exactly what’s drawing power in your home down to the circuit level. Once you know exactly what’s wasting money, I’ll point out some advanced tips and equipment you can use to do something about it.
More here: How I Cut My Energy Bill By a Third with Tech and Common Sense.
