e-day ?

[lnr]

I've just heard of this on Facebook: http://www.e-day.org.uk/

The idea is that for 24 hours starting from 6pm today we should all leave off any electrical appliances that are not in use. And on their webpage they'll try and chart the day's energy usage compared to a normal day.

In my case I think all I can do is:

• Turn off microwave at wall. This will reset the clock.
• Turn off computers at wall: this will make no difference to computer, monitor or speakers, as they're turned off properly instead of on standby anyway, but will turn off the camera charger.
• Be a bit more careful with lights.

The stereo is off at the wall, phone chargers aren't left plugged in, the kettle and toaster don't use any electricity except when in use. Ah, I can also unplug the video from the four-way block when we've got it turned on to use the telly and DVD player. They're all in the same strip and we turn that off when not in use. Edit Oooh, and we can turn off the ADSL modem too. Can't really turn off the DECT phones or we'll have no handset upstairs.

It's really not going to make much difference, is it?

Comments

[emarkienna.livejournal.com]

I think a motherboard is still live when switched on at the wall? I don't know how much that uses compared to things like a TV on standby though.

Another problem with this is that in cold weather, all this energy must end up as heat, so any amount of extra energy (small or large) surely isn't wasted if that means you don't use as much energy in heating by a corresponding amount (the counter argument is that heating via gas is supposedly more efficient than via electricity - but still, if it was cold and you stuck an extra electric heater on, I doubt anyone would feel guilty about the environment for doing so).

I always turn off things when I go out, but I don't bother at night (I mean, otherwise I'd have to get out of bed first in order to go on the Internet...)