ONCE MORE AROUND THE BARNYARD: ENERGY HOGS

Big TVs are big energy hogs
December 28, 2006 (CBC News)
- An energy expert warns that big-screen televisions and the equipment they are hooked up to can use as much power as a refrigerator, but most consumers don't realize it until the electricity bill arrives…

- Anne Wilkins, manager of the federal government's Energy Star program: …We have seen an increase of energy use in homes, and a lot of it has to do with this type of equipment..
- Big-screen TVs are often connected to other equipment that gobble up power, such as DVD players, satellite boxes and home theatre systems…
- Wilkins says plasma TVs tend to hog the most energy, but how much juice a TV uses depends on its make, model and style, so she recommends researching before you buy.
An Energy Star sticker on a TV means it uses less than three watts of power when it's turned off, but still plugged in and technically on standby. Conventional sets can use up to 12 watts. Technology has evolved so rapidly, however, Energy Star doesn't yet offer information about how much power those TVs use when they are turned on…
- Andrew Kenyar in Calgary sells high-end TV systems: …"Flat-screen LCD is certainly the way to go. It is the most environmentally friendly to build and dispose of at the end of its lifecycle, and it will also use the least amount of energy…"