° Look for the label: The EPA’s Energy Star label quickly identifies energy-efficient appliances and electronics. Go [url=http://www.energystar.gov]here[/url] for a searchable database of Energy Star products. For example, Energy Star qualified TVs use about 30 percent less energy than standard units.

° Automate it: Automated technology to control electricity and air conditioning can translate into big savings. Start with a programmable thermostat since cooling systems use a significant amount of energy. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $US150 every year in energy costs.

° Get the facts: Most people don't like to read their owners’ manuals, but manuals are full of energy saving ideas. Read your manual to ensure you are taking full advantage of all the energy-conservation capabilities available with your electronic devices. For example, you can lower the brightness -- and the energy usage -- on your DTV by going to the “main menu,” selecting “video settings” and then looking for the “brightness” control.

° Unplug it: Many electronic devices, such as televisions, DVD players, stereos, computers and cell phone battery chargers, continue to draw a small amount of power even when turned off or not in use. Unplugging them, versus only turning them off, is a smart idea because a significant amount of electricity is wasted powering electronic devices that are not in use.

° Centralize it: Make it easy to turn off electronics when they are not in use by plugging them into power strips. Power strips make it easy to turn off multiple electronics all at once. However, remember to read the manual first to make sure you comply with manufacturers’ recommended specifications.

“Today’s electronics are more energy efficient than ever, a welcome benefit of the trend toward smaller, more technologically-sophisticated products,” said CEA’s Parker Brugge, vice president of Environmental Affairs and Corporate Sustainability. “The combination of energy-efficient design by manufacturers and energy-conscious usage by consumers goes a long way toward saving energy, especially during the summer months when power consumption typically spikes.”

For more tips on summer power savings, or to calculate your home’s electronic energy consumption using CEA’s energy calculator, go [url=http://www.MyGreenElectronics.org]here[/url].

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