Green Living: Save Energy On Video Games And Home Electronics
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The Art Institutes (ARA) - In today's economy, consumers are looking to keep costs down and save on bills. Saving money can also save energy. Game consoles and home electronics consume a staggeringly high amount of energy, but there is something that can be done about it.
The Art Institute of Washington suggests some easy and efficient ways to save energy.
Unplug the video games and consider energy-efficient home game consoles. Game consoles such as The Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 operate as high-definition video players, therefore they use more energy than the Nintendo Wii. Game Art & Design Instructor Yanan Wu encourages students to consider purchasing a smaller video game system: "If a student is on the go all the time, it would be more efficient for him or her to get a handheld gaming device like PSP or Nintendo DS since they consume much less energy than a video game console."
Make it a habit to turn off the power button on just about everything, but just turning off the power button is not enough. Light bulbs in large home electronics that require bulbs can be replaced with energy-efficient wattages. Home computers should be shut down completely and plugged into a single surge protector, away from other electronics.
IT Tech 1 Specialist Luis Alfaro, at The Art Institute of Washington, says that most people waste energy at home with their computers, laptops and other electronic gadgets. "These items should be turned off and not just left on idle. Turn off your computer before you go to bed. It saves on both energy and wear and tear," Alfaro says.
Consider efficient devices and utilizing existing power-saving features. "Among video game consoles, Wii uses less power than PS3 and Xbox 360 because games on Wii are less graphic intensive," Wu adds.
Here are some additional tips for saving energy in the home:
1. Consider rechargeable batteries.
2. Pull the plug on devices when not in use or put all your electronics and chargers on a power strip.
3. If you're in the middle of a video game, save it so that you can pick up where you left off.
4. Enable the automatic power down feature, which will shut down your device if it's left idle for a certain amount of time. This isn't always easy to do and you might need to install software first, so go to the software provider's Web site for step-by-step instructions.
5. Most large appliances like televisions and microwaves store up energy when they are not in use. Often, they consume more energy as they are stored than they would if they were actually being used. Either unplug or shut off the power supply to these appliances when not in use.
6. To quickly and easily warm the house, don't forget to open the curtains. Sunlight is an often overlooked heat resource.
To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
The Art Institute of Washington suggests some easy and efficient ways to save energy.
Unplug the video games and consider energy-efficient home game consoles. Game consoles such as The Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 operate as high-definition video players, therefore they use more energy than the Nintendo Wii. Game Art & Design Instructor Yanan Wu encourages students to consider purchasing a smaller video game system: "If a student is on the go all the time, it would be more efficient for him or her to get a handheld gaming device like PSP or Nintendo DS since they consume much less energy than a video game console."
Make it a habit to turn off the power button on just about everything, but just turning off the power button is not enough. Light bulbs in large home electronics that require bulbs can be replaced with energy-efficient wattages. Home computers should be shut down completely and plugged into a single surge protector, away from other electronics.
IT Tech 1 Specialist Luis Alfaro, at The Art Institute of Washington, says that most people waste energy at home with their computers, laptops and other electronic gadgets. "These items should be turned off and not just left on idle. Turn off your computer before you go to bed. It saves on both energy and wear and tear," Alfaro says.
Consider efficient devices and utilizing existing power-saving features. "Among video game consoles, Wii uses less power than PS3 and Xbox 360 because games on Wii are less graphic intensive," Wu adds.
Here are some additional tips for saving energy in the home:
1. Consider rechargeable batteries.
2. Pull the plug on devices when not in use or put all your electronics and chargers on a power strip.
3. If you're in the middle of a video game, save it so that you can pick up where you left off.
4. Enable the automatic power down feature, which will shut down your device if it's left idle for a certain amount of time. This isn't always easy to do and you might need to install software first, so go to the software provider's Web site for step-by-step instructions.
5. Most large appliances like televisions and microwaves store up energy when they are not in use. Often, they consume more energy as they are stored than they would if they were actually being used. Either unplug or shut off the power supply to these appliances when not in use.
6. To quickly and easily warm the house, don't forget to open the curtains. Sunlight is an often overlooked heat resource.
To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
