Here’s something I came across recently. Here are some really simple tips on saving electricity that anyone should be able to apply in their own home. Most of us have any number of electronics devices around the house. Unfortunately, electronics can use a considerable amount of electricity even when on standby. This means that they draw power even when they’re not switched on. This isn’t exactly eco-friendly behavior. Some appliances — especially older ones — may even use up to 85 percent of the power on standby that they do while in use!

To reduce the standby loads in your home, turn electronics off at the outlet when they’re not in use. First, check the living room/entertainment area where stereos and other electronics may reside. Next check around the kitchen, study, utility room, and bedrooms for plugged in appliances that are not in use.

Unplug all those cellphone and other small appliance chargers that use electricity even when they’re not charging anything. Plug appliances such as TVs and DVD players into a power strip to make it easier to turn them off completely. Instead of pulling the plugs from the wall outlet, you simply turn off the power strip. This works especially well if your appliances have a battery backup that maintains your channel and clock settings even if the power’s off.

Switching off electronics for the night before switching off yourself saves the planet and your pocketbook.

Make it someone’s job to check the house every night before bed time. Turn off every switch that doesn’t have to be on. Just about the only items you need to leave on overnight are the refridgerator and freezer, the heating/cooling system, the hot water heater, and the alarm clock, unless you have a wind-up or battery-operated alarm.

Hopefully these simple tips will trigger your mind to other ways of saving energy around the home.