What are “energy vampires” or “phantom loads”? First, they are not the monsters hiding in the closet to drain your energy and make really cheesy movies.

Energy vampires are devices that use electricity when you think they are off. They are the cell phone and iPod chargers that are left plugged in, the computer that is left in sleep mode all day, or the TV that comes on instantly when you press the button on the remote. Electronics like this never really turn off. There is always some power going to them. This allows things like clocks on DVD players to still function while off, or for the TV to come on instantly with a remote control. Phantom load accounts for 64 million megawatts (or 64,000,000,000 kilowatt hours) of power and $4 billion a year in the United States.

The surest way to kill a phantom load, otherwise known as standby power or lopomo, low power mode, is to simply pull the plug. That means when you're done with your coffee pot, microwave, hair dryer and other devices, disconnect them totally from their power sources.

Next to the TV, which can draw 12 watts of electricity even after you flick off American Idol, the biggest standby energy hog is the home computer and its suite of devices. A printer can draw 11.5 watts when idling, and a subwoofer, 10.8.

Plug them all into a power strip and, when you're through cruising for green tips, turn it off.

With help from thedailygreen.com