Idle appliances are electricity’s playthings.  From computers in hibernation to seemingly dormant televisions almost everything that’s plugged into the wall uses power.  The Eugene Water and Electric Board has teamed up with the Eugene Public Library to loan out fifteen Kill-A-Watts.  Those are devices that measure the amount of power used by appliances.  John Femal of EWEB says the program helps people rethink their daily habits.

Femal:  “What devices are using energy and how much they’re using, so they can make better choices around whether it be an energy efficient appliance, maybe buying an energy star appliance in the future as well as unplugging things that are consuming energy while they’re really not doing anything for them.”

Femal says five to six percent of energy consumption in U.S. homes goes to “phantom power,” such as the electricity powering idle appliances with remote controls.  If the kill-a-watt proves popular, the library plans to add more to its shelves.