California to Improve Energy Efficiency for TVs

Most Americans feel the need to have the latest Electronics these days. Those pricey flat screens are a must have for the modern American home. Well 10% of the average homes electricity usage comes from TVs and DVRs that go along with them. Those Plasma’s in particular are energy guzzling devices. Well, California is doing something about it and plans to cut TV power by 50% in four years .

California to Improve Energy Efficiency for TVs

The California energy commission is proposing energy efficiency standards using new technology when manufacturing new TVs. This technology already exists in some TVs that are in stores now.

I’m sure you have heard of the Energy Star program before. It is a voluntary program that encourages manufacturers to produce efficient televisions to achieve an Energy Star label. The label, however, does not prevent the sale of energy inefficient televisions that will cost consumers money over time. So therefore the new standards are still necessary.

The new regulations will be very beneficial in many ways. It will save consumers money on their electricity bill, conserve energy, and protect the environment. Additionally, it will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease the need to build additional, large power plants. Four million TV sets are sold in the state annually. Plasma displays like Panasonic’s, which can use up to 30 percent more energy per square inch than liquid crystal displays (LCD), would be hit hardest by the standard. Meanwhile the people that are still using the old school TVs (cathode-ray-tube sets) can have some peace of mind knowing that those models are the most energy efficient TVs around=)

Some ways you can save power regardless of the TV you own -

Of course turning off the TV when you’re not watching (even unplugging it, since appliances still pull energy from outlets) would save you a bundle on your bill.

If possible try watching less TV and maybe listen to the radio, or read a book and expand you’re mind!

If you have an LCD TV, try turning down the backlight. This can save power and may not make a lot of difference in the television’s picture quality.

Turn off the HDTV quick start option – many new HDTVs have a quick start option. This feature uses more back up power when the TV is off. It only takes a few more seconds to start up the TV without this and it can save a lot of power to turn it off.

Get a group of your friends together and maybe watch your favorite series or show as a group. Or limit the number of TVs in your house and watch it as a family .

Thoughts, Comments, Questions…

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JT (424 Posts)

Just living life in Portland, Oregon and enjoying every day that goes by. I love the environment, and I love community, and I love being able to share my experiences and perspective with the world. Follow @EnvironmentBlog

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