DVR = Huge Energy Vampire

According to a report from The National Resources Defense Council, DVR boxes and satellite receivers use more energy than a typical new flat screen TV and cost U.S. consumers $3 billion in energy annually -- $1 billion to operate when in active use and an additional $2 billion while inactive but still running at near full power. "Set-top boxes are the ultimate home energy vampires, silently sucking significant amounts of energy and money when nobody’s using them,” said Noah Horowitz, senior scientist at the NRDC. Click here to read the entire article from the National Resources Defense Council.

One way to reduce the amount of vampire energy being consumed by your television's electronic appendages is to use a power strip and switch off your TV, DVR, DVD player, video game console, etc. when when you go to bed or are out of the house. Just be mindful of the fact that if you want to record a program, leave the DVR box on, otherwise powering down these energy vampires when possible will result in noticeable savings.