a combined $8 billion every year nationally, while preventing 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution. So the science is real — the question is just how much of a difference it makes in practice.
The Biggest Culprits in Your Home
Not all appliances are equal when it comes to phantom power consumption. Before I started my experiment, I did some reading to understand which devices were likely costing me the most while sitting idle. Here is what the research consistently points to as the worst offenders:
Entertainment Systems
Your TV, cable or satellite box, gaming console, and home theater system are consistently ranked among the biggest standby power consumers in any home. Modern smart TVs maintain active Wi-Fi connections even when they appear off, running background processes and keeping various circuits live. Cable boxes in particular are notorious — many of them draw almost as much power when turned off
