As we close energy month here is a selection of energy saving or monitoring superstars from our store.
With a power strip, you can stop energy vampires (those appliances that drain electricity even when turned off) in their tracks. Switch off the power strip and the energy stops flowing to whatever is plugged into it. With a smart power strip, you don't even have to flip a switch. It simply senses which devices are not being used all on its own (that's why it's smart!) and cuts off their power automatically, no clicking off on your part required. It's perfect for an office or home entertainment system set up.
The Kill-A-Watt is more of an electricity tracker. You attach it to any appliance and it tells you how many killowatts are being burned every minute, hour, or month of its operation. It's an amazing tool for compiling your own home efficiency data and for finding out what it's important to unplug or even replace with an Energy Star version.
If you can't yet afford solar panels or live in an apartment (though government rebates on solar are glowing these days!), you can start small. Like with this hybrid solar gadget charger from Solio. It'll charge ipods, cell phones, cameras, any handheld digital device. It's especially handy if you've got access to a bright window or the outdoors most of the day--then you may never have to plug in again--just talk on your phone, hang up, and charge up. Then repeat.
A solar flashlight could be a perfect Father's Day gift or accoutrement for a summer camping trip. The coolest part? The solar charge holds for three years! So even if you store in a closet for a few months, you can still switch it on whenever you need it in a jiff.
Finally, these are not as much gadgets as old-fashioned contraptions of the simplest kind. We carry a retractable clothesline and wooden clothespins for all your clothes drying needs. By skipping the dryer in favor of the power of our planet's sun, you save major energy and get the benefit of sun-fresh, still toasty-warm laundry. I hang almost all of my laundry--even towels and sheets--out to dry.
And find out more of the nitty gritty on Saving Electricity.
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