Understanding Phantom Load

Phantom load — the electricity devices draw while plugged in but not actively used — accounts for roughly 5 to 10 percent of a typical household's energy bill. Your TV on standby, the microwave clock, the phone charger with no phone attached: they all sip power around the clock.

Switching to smart power strips that cut power to idle devices is one of the simplest changes you can make. Pairing that with LED bulbs — which use about 75 percent less energy than incandescent ones and last 25 times longer — compounds savings fast. These are not heroic sacrifices.