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	Friday Quiz: Energy Use and Waste   (January 6, 2006) How much has overall energy consumption in the U.S. increased in the last 30 years? A. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, overall energy consumption has increased by 27 percent since 1973. (Source: Scientific American) What percentage of household electricity in the U.S. is lost to appliances that are turned off? A. About 5 percent of household electricity in the U.S. is lost to energizing computers, television and other appliances that are turned off, as a result of poorly designed standby circuitry. According to The U.S. Department of Energy, there are 2,776 electrical generation plants in the U.S. That means 140 power plants do nothing but generate the electricity wasted by DVD players, TVs, answering machines, stereo systems, xBoxes and computers plugged into wall sockets while not in use. One solution: put as many of these devices as is practical on power strips which can be turned off with one switch. * * * copyright © 2006 Charles Hugh Smith. All rights reserved in all media. I would be honored if you linked this wEssay to your site, or printed a copy for your own use. * * *
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