Your Family Room and Home Office

Discover handy conservation tips for your family room and home office.

Your family room

• When buying new electronics, look for the ones with Energy Star ratings.
• Use a power bar to plug in multiple electronic devices so they can easily be switched off all at once.
• Check the owner's manual to ensure rechargeable devices are not plugged in for longer than they need.
• Unplug all electronics when you're not using them for extended periods of time. Not only does this save energy, but it also protects your devices from power surges.

Your home office

• Turn off your computer, accessories (speakers, etc.) and printer when not in use. Even in sleep mode, they still draw power. Switching your computer on and off will have no significant effect on its operation or lifespan.
• Choose a computer with power-management options. Power-down features can significantly reduce electricity use.
• Turn off your monitor, even if you are only away from it for short periods of time. Screen savers don't reduce energy consumption.
• Use a laptop. A typical laptop has a consumption of 15 watts, compared to 80-160 watts for desktop computers, and many power down after short periods of inactivity.