Did you know that in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power electronics is consumed when they're turned off but plugged in? It's true! So unplug your electronic devices (like your DVD player) when you're not using them.

Obviously,  it is impractical to unplug ALL electronic devices when they are not in use.  However, pick a couple that you rarely use, such as a TV in a spare room or basement, small kitchen appliances that aren't used every day, or even a hair dryer. If you're really committed to cutting down on this kind of "phantom" power usage, check out power strips with usage sensors that will do the automatic shut off for you.  For an examples, see http://www.greenhome.com/products/appliances/computing/115595/ or http://www.wattstopper.com/products/details.html?id=74.  Otherwise, you can plug electronics into regular power strips in groups (maybe by area--desk, entertainment center, kitchen countertop) so you can cut the power to multiple items with the flick of one switch.

Remember, every effort makes a difference to building a green future!