Don’t Pay More for Your Phone

Between the price of a new phone and the cost of the service, a smartphone is a pretty big investment. The devices seem to be getting more and more powerful, and their energy needs are growing to match. Don’t add to the cost by wasting electricity while you charge it up.

If your phone is plugged into a charger that’s plugged into the wall, it’s using electricity. If the phone is fully charged and still plugged in, it’s still using electricity.

If you unplug your phone but leave the charger plugged in, that charger is still using a small amount of electricity. And if your household has multiple phone owners, then all of those chargers plugged in around the house start to add up.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the average home wastes about $100 a year on “phantom energy” from electronic devices that stay plugged in when not in use. This accounts for 5% to 10% of residential energy use.

Why waste and pay for energy that you’re not using? Simply unplug chargers and other digital equipment when not in use. You can also plug them into power strips and turn off the power strip when you’re not using the devices.