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Green Tip: Unplugging


 
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#1 ItsTravisxD

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Posted 08 April 2012 - 04:44 PM

Hey!  Travis here and to start off my first post on this forum, I'll give you guys a little tip that you might not know.

Now, we all know that we should turn off appliances, but did you know that although not currently "on," the appliance still uses energy.  No matter what, energy is always flowing through your outlets and so even when your appliance is off, it still is consuming energy simply because it is plugged in.  And so for today's tip, when you're done using that toaster or done using your phone charger, unplug it!  You'll be saving space and making your walls look a lot more appealing without all the clutter surrounding your outlets.


Let me know what you guys think!

#2 jthomas

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Posted 09 April 2012 - 09:00 AM

I try to unplug everything after i use it or before i leave the house but sometimes its so hard to remember!! Do you have any tips on making it easier to remember???

#3 ItsTravisxD

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Posted 09 April 2012 - 09:07 AM

View Postjthomas, on 09 April 2012 - 09:00 AM, said:

I try to unplug everything after i use it or before i leave the house but sometimes its so hard to remember!! Do you have any tips on making it easier to remember???

Well, think of it like this.  Unplugging is one of those things that can be easy to forget in the beginning but once you start doing it more often, it gets "plugged" into your memory.  Something that I do to remind my family is just to grab a couple of post-its and write "Unplug after usage!" on them.  It's a great way for you to remind yourself and others.  Hope that tip helped.

#4 angeldrb

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Posted 09 April 2012 - 08:07 PM

We actually do this at home. We even have a coin jar for that - we have to put 5 pesos in it every time we forget to unplug an appliance. It is very effective especially if you're forgetful. At first, we're all like, "Hey, that's 5 pesos." when someone forgot, but then we all got used to it and it became an absentminded impulse already that we have to unplug appliances after using them.

#5 ItsTravisxD

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Posted 09 April 2012 - 08:09 PM

View Postangeldrb, on 09 April 2012 - 08:07 PM, said:

We actually do this at home. We even have a coin jar for that - we have to put 5 pesos in it every time we forget to unplug an appliance. It is very effective especially if you're forgetful. At first, we're all like, "Hey, that's 5 pesos." when someone forgot, but then we all got used to it and it became an absentminded impulse already that we have to unplug appliances after using them.

Wow, that's a pretty cool way to save energy and to save up for a rainy day.  That just shows though, give yourself an incentive to save energy whether it be with money or simply because you want to feel like you're doing something bigger.  I would do this myself but everyone in my family is a cheapskate and would never admit to forgetting due to fear of losing any money.  Grats to you though angeldrb.

#6 angeldrb

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Posted 09 April 2012 - 08:20 PM

View PostItsTravisxD, on 09 April 2012 - 08:09 PM, said:

Wow, that's a pretty cool way to save energy and to save up for a rainy day.  That just shows though, give yourself an incentive to save energy whether it be with money or simply because you want to feel like you're doing something bigger.  I would do this myself but everyone in my family is a cheapskate and would never admit to forgetting due to fear of losing any money.  Grats to you though angeldrb.

Haha thanks! Well yeah, our main reason is to save energy to lower our electric bill but I'm glad that our simple habit is contributing to a greener environment, too. We often dismiss it as just a small thing, but really when I think about it, we are actually helping our nature and the society as well. :)

#7 ItsTravisxD

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Posted 10 April 2012 - 06:05 AM

View Postangeldrb, on 09 April 2012 - 08:20 PM, said:

Haha thanks! Well yeah, our main reason is to save energy to lower our electric bill but I'm glad that our simple habit is contributing to a greener environment, too. We often dismiss it as just a small thing, but really when I think about it, we are actually helping our nature and the society as well. :)

Exactly!  And that's the kind of mentality that you need in order to succeed whether it be just a small thing like unplugging or a big thing like instead of driving, walking or biking.  You may think of it as a small thing right now but in the long run, everything adds up, and it's pretty cool to know that you made a difference.  I hope that some day people can use your family as an example since you guys seem to be pretty on top of the whole eco- friendly scene.

#8 4leafclover

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Posted 10 April 2012 - 12:56 PM

We are into unplugging any electrical device that is not in use so I have no problem with it. I just envy our neighbor's house because they have this certain plug that blocks electricity flow at certain points in their house that is not being used during night time. He is an electrician anyways so he can work things perfectly in their house. He said it saves their electrical bill effectively. Its different from the main switch we all have in our houses. Its just like any other normal light switch inside the house and each of them has its own path onto were electricity supply will be cut off. If I'll have our house, I'll definitely do the same.

#9 ItsTravisxD

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Posted 10 April 2012 - 05:04 PM

View Post4leafclover, on 10 April 2012 - 12:56 PM, said:

We are into unplugging any electrical device that is not in use so I have no problem with it. I just envy our neighbor's house because they have this certain plug that blocks electricity flow at certain points in their house that is not being used during night time. He is an electrician anyways so he can work things perfectly in their house. He said it saves their electrical bill effectively. Its different from the main switch we all have in our houses. Its just like any other normal light switch inside the house and each of them has its own path onto were electricity supply will be cut off. If I'll have our house, I'll definitely do the same.

Huh!  I haven't heard of that electricity switch before.  It seems like a pretty efficient way to cut off your power without the need to unplug if say you were a forgetful person.  I guess the only problem I see would be if you had children or pets that would be able to switch on and off the power without you knowing.  I agree though that this is a pretty good way to unplug without actually unplugging.

#10 angeldrb

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Posted 10 April 2012 - 11:17 PM

View PostItsTravisxD, on 10 April 2012 - 06:05 AM, said:

Exactly!  And that's the kind of mentality that you need in order to succeed whether it be just a small thing like unplugging or a big thing like instead of driving, walking or biking.  You may think of it as a small thing right now but in the long run, everything adds up, and it's pretty cool to know that you made a difference.  I hope that some day people can use your family as an example since you guys seem to be pretty on top of the whole eco- friendly scene.

Thank you very much for the commendation. :) I sure hope other families would do the same thing. We are active advocates of green living in our community and we teach people about small things that can make a difference not only within their homes but also in the world at large.

View Post4leafclover, on 10 April 2012 - 12:56 PM, said:

We are into unplugging any electrical device that is not in use so I have no problem with it. I just envy our neighbor's house because they have this certain plug that blocks electricity flow at certain points in their house that is not being used during night time. He is an electrician anyways so he can work things perfectly in their house. He said it saves their electrical bill effectively. Its different from the main switch we all have in our houses. Its just like any other normal light switch inside the house and each of them has its own path onto were electricity supply will be cut off. If I'll have our house, I'll definitely do the same.

Wow, this is pretty cool. It saves you from remembering every appliance that needs unplugging. :)

#11 btatro

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Posted 12 April 2012 - 06:04 PM

I am happy to see a pot about unplugging. I have gotten into the habit of this, and know it has to make some difference. It really just takes time to get into the habit of doing it. I use the toaster, it gets unplugged. Coffee maker, lamps, TV, etc. the computer area is all plugged into a strip (that gets unplugged). The only thing I really don't unplug is my refrigerator and my stove.

#12 ItsTravisxD

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Posted 12 April 2012 - 06:36 PM

View Postbtatro, on 12 April 2012 - 06:04 PM, said:

I am happy to see a pot about unplugging. I have gotten into the habit of this, and know it has to make some difference. It really just takes time to get into the habit of doing it. I use the toaster, it gets unplugged. Coffee maker, lamps, TV, etc. the computer area is all plugged into a strip (that gets unplugged). The only thing I really don't unplug is my refrigerator and my stove.

Wow nice!  Having all those items nearby so you can plug them into a strip must be pretty cool.  My house is pretty roomy so I can only plug in chargers and my laptop.  I wouldn't advise unplugging your stove or fridge either.  Mainly because I like my ice cream not melted and my stove is a gas one.

#13 btatro

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Posted 12 April 2012 - 06:47 PM

View PostItsTravisxD, on 12 April 2012 - 06:36 PM, said:



Wow nice!  Having all those items nearby so you can plug them into a strip must be pretty cool.  My house is pretty roomy so I can only plug in chargers and my laptop.  I wouldn't advise unplugging your stove or fridge either.  Mainly because I like my ice cream not melted and my stove is a gas one.

:) I should clarify- not all my appliances are in one small area. I have my laptop, printer, speakers, and modem all plugged into the same power strip. Makes it easy to unplug them all at once.

#14 zararina

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Posted 13 April 2012 - 11:26 PM

I also make it a habit to unplug those unused appliances and gadgets.
Specially when leaving the house for safety and for energy saving purpose. If its already a habit, you can seldom forget to unplug those appliances.

#15 katniss

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Posted 20 April 2012 - 06:21 AM

I also has that practice of unplugging unused appliances and gadgets. So true that it could help us save money because of lower electricity consumption. And it was also an earth friendly habit. It does not only help you save on your bills but also save your entire house. You don't know when short circuit or circuit malfunction will occur due to plugged appliances at home.

#16 Hayden

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Posted 20 April 2012 - 11:58 AM

View PostItsTravisxD, on 08 April 2012 - 04:44 PM, said:

Hey!  Travis here and to start off my first post on this forum, I'll give you guys a little tip that you might not know.

Now, we all know that we should turn off appliances, but did you know that although not currently "on," the appliance still uses energy.  No matter what, energy is always flowing through your outlets and so even when your appliance is off, it still is consuming energy simply because it is plugged in.  And so for today's tip, when you're done using that toaster or done using your phone charger, unplug it!  You'll be saving space and making your walls look a lot more appealing without all the clutter surrounding your outlets.


Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks for taking the time out to share this with our community. We appreciate everyone contributions.

#17 aphil

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Posted 07 May 2012 - 11:22 AM

This is a great suggestion Travis. I do unplug some things and now I am encouraged to unplug it all. I have appliances that remain plugged in overnight. I really wonder what a big difference it will make? I do know that every little bit counts and I am going to activate this advice.

#18 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 07 May 2012 - 02:32 PM

View Postaphil, on 07 May 2012 - 11:22 AM, said:

This is a great suggestion Travis. I do unplug some things and now I am encouraged to unplug it all. I have appliances that remain plugged in overnight. I really wonder what a big difference it will make? I do know that every little bit counts and I am going to activate this advice.
Unplugging or using power strips that you cut off when you go to work or bed can save you about $30-50 a month.

How many items have clocks in them? Unplug em'. Electric clocks-donate them. Get wind-ups or
battery powered (recycle the batteries too). Even remote control ceiling fans, garage door openers,
remote controlled sky lights draw power when turned "off."

#19 FamilyTreeClimber

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Posted 08 May 2012 - 05:58 PM

I've been doing this for some time.  It's an easy way to save energy and money.

It seems silly to have appliances and electronics plugged in when not in use unless it's necessary (like with the refrigerator).  Many things I only use once a week or less.  I keep those things unplugged until I use them.

I don't think many people realize that all those appliances are draining energy all time.  Where did we get to the point where we must have a clock on everything we buy?  Isn't a wall clock or a watch enough?

#20 dconklin

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Posted 10 May 2012 - 07:07 PM

If it has any kind of LED, clock or anything else when it is plugged in you can guarantee it is using electricity.  Tho I don't believe it makes a difference with the washer and dryer, I unplug them all the time too.  Then I can also unplug the pump that is used to push the water washer drain water out of the basement when not in use too.

The honey and I are in a battle tho about some things being unplugged.  Like his stereo that has a clock on it.  My problem with it remaining plugged in is that he may turn it on 3 times a month.  Seriously, it is rarely used but yet if it isn't plugged in and set with the correct time, he will immediately do so as soon as he wakes up.  And won't be happy about it.  He will have his cell phone in his pocket which has the correct time so does he really need the stereo clock set???

I am ok with having all appliances but my coffee maker unplugged.  Well that and my alarm clock.  My coffee maker makes sure my coffee is brewed for me when I awake so I can be human.  

He goes to bed later then me and will not unplug anything such as the TV or anything else.  Grrrr  

Sorry to rant, I feel a little better now :wink:

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