Vampire Power or "phantom load" is the energy that is consumed from electronics that are plugged in, but not in use. Common electronics consuming energy when not in use include cell phone/mp3 adapters, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, game consoles, and microwaves. It's estimated that the United States spends approximately 4 billion a year on energy lost due to vampire power. A computer that is left on uses from 70 to 250 watts - nearly as much energy as an energy efficient refrigerator. A 500 watt, 65" LCD Television left on continuously consumes nearly $484 in electricity annual and generates 5,873 lbs of carbon dioxide. According to the Department of Energy, 40% of electricity consumed by households is due to vampire power, which would cost households approximately $1,000 a year!
You can fight off scary vampire power by plugging all of your electronics into power strips and turning off the power strip when not using these items. You can also unplug chargers when they are not being used. Be sure to turn off your computer when not in use and beware of screen savers which can often consume more power than the normal sleep mode. Energy efficient appliances often consume less energy when not being used than other appliances.