Anyone who has known me for a long time will know that for all my criticism of the modern, socialist green movement, I have always been one who cares deeply about the environment. Before it was cool I used to chide friends who didn’t visit the recycling point (before doorstep collections) and I have always been amazed that you get free stuff by composting.
So, despite my criticism of the modern, socialist green movement, I bought an Electrisave recently and have enjoyed (perhaps too much) seeing what impact each device has on power consumption.
At the rate of 8.192 pence per kWh (kilowatt hour) a 100W lightbulb uses 0.6 pence per hour. A 20″ LCD TV and two 19″ LCD computer monitors don’t register any cost at all. A kettle uses a comparitively amazing amount (around 20 pence per hour) and an electric shower uses 38 pence per hour.
My PC (which is reasonably specced) uses a little less than a lightbulb and when it is on standby makes no impact on the meter at all. Fascinatingly, though, a 20″ CRT computer monitor registers a little less than a lightbulb on its own. And a 25″ CRT TV uses a little more than a lightbulb.
The most expensive things are kettles, electric showers and vacuum cleaners. But the most surprising thing of all was my Xbox 360. While that is running it costs between 1.8 pence and 2 pence per hour. When two PCs, an LCD TV, two LCD monitors, one CRT monitor, the fridge and double-height freezer, two cordless telephone base stations and two cordless telephone charger points as well as all the household’s standby lights and LCD clocks were running, the Xbox 360 doubled the amount of power being used!
So if you have an Xbox 360, and you care about your bills or wasting fossil fuels (or even CO2 emissions if you’re an extremist) turn off your Xbox 360 when you’re not using it.
Oh, and in case you’re interested, a Wii doesn’t register even 1/10 of a penny while it is running.
The Electrisave is a sinch to install and works beautifully, I’d strongly recommend them to anyone who asked.
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#1 by David B. Wildgoose on June 12th, 2007 - 2:54 pm
I believe in “treading lightly on the Earth” and in trying find a way to live in harmony with the natural environment wherever possible.
But I share your criticism of the WaterMelons, (Green on the outside but Red through and through).
Here’s a thought. This is a new faux-religion we can both agree to oppose:
http://www.conspiracy-times.com/content/view/95/1
#2 by Rob on July 6th, 2008 - 2:33 am
I’ve an electrosave. Good bit of kit thats a in hand energy monitor that give ball park awareness. I’m of the WWII rationing mentality; don’t waste stuff, if people say this is also green, all good and well. But thats an individually informed and lifestyle choice. 000’s of volunteer individual resource and energy savers (who buy into this concept as habit and routine) are more powerful that 000’s of househouses who are collectively forced to conserve energy/resources, and penalised when they can’t.