Everyone knows that it’s a waste of energy to leave the TV on when you leave the room.  But did you know that even if your TV is “off,” it may still be sucking up electricity and running up your power bill?  The culprit in this electrical cat burglary is standby mode–the so-called “power vampire” that is a part of almost every modern electrical appliance.  Standby mode exists to make re-starting appliance quicker and easier, but requires energy to do so.  Switching off your TV with your remote control means you can switch it back on without standing up, but it also means you’re paying precious dollars and cents in electric bills for that convenience.

Televisions, computer monitors, microwaves, DVD players, and cell phone chargers all suck power while not in use.  Studies have shown appliances on standby can account for 10% of one home’s total energy consumption.  The European Commission has estimated that Europeans waste $9 billion a year on standby electricity costs.  A UC Berkeley study showed that standby power can consume up to 26% of a tech-heavy California home’s energy.  The International Energy Agency even estimated that standby power consumption accounts for 1% of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. (Source: WSJ.com)

Image: Associated Press

So the results are in: standby power is bad–it drives energy bills up and contributes to pollution.  So what’s the solution?  The inventors at the Spanish company Good for You, Good for the Planet believe they have it.  They have patented an algorithm that senses when an appliance is in standby mode, and shuts it off completely.  Appliance manufacturers have already shown interest in the product, and a Spanish hotel chain has begun testing a prototype power strip, called “100% Off,” in its guest rooms.  This simple solution could take a huge bite out of worldwide energy waste, and take us one step closer to efficient and green world.

Until the device (or other devices like it) is widely available, try serving as your own “100% Off” mechanism.  When you’re done watching TV, walk up to the set and click the on/off button, so that no lights are on anywhere on the TV.  Unplug your cellphone chargers when you’re not using them.  Shut down your computer instead of leaving it in sleep mode.  This changes may seem insignificant, but try it for a month and then check your electric bill.  You may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

After a slight lift in morning trading, both crude and heating oil prices dropped by about 2% today. The cause of the price decline appears to be residual reactions to news that the European Union is officially experiencing a recession coupled with new data that showed retail sales in the US at their lowest levels in years.

From CNBC.com: “’With a steady stream of news chronicling worsening economic performance, the downward momentum will only be slowed with great difficulty,’” Mike Fitzpatrick, vice president at MF Global, said in a research note.”

HEAT USA Price experts expected a moderate drop in Monday’s retail heating oil prices to match today’s moderate drop on the commodities market.

HEAT USA Price Report
Evening Projection (for Monday’s average price per gallon): DOWN $0.04

After continuing yesterday’s steady rise in interday trading, the price for a barrel of crude continued to increase overnight, peaking near $60. Official confirmation that the European Union has entered a recession seemed to spook oil investors early this morning, bringing crude prices down to just over $57 a barrel.

Data that OPEC member nations are in fact complying with an agreement to cut overall production by 1.5 million barrels a day and bargain-hunting may have contributed to a cautious recovery around 8:00 am this morning, putting crude near $59 a barrel. Heating oil was at $1.88 per gallon as of 8:42 am, a fraction above its opening price.

HEAT USA price experts confirmed a small up tick in retail heating oil prices this morning, and predicted a short decline in tomorrow’s prices after a flat trading day today.

HEAT USA Price Report
Today’s average heating oil price per gallon: UP $0.04
Morning Projection (for Monday’s average price per gallon): DOWN $0.01