Consumers are becoming more concerned about what they buy and the impact it has on the environment, but I wonder how many extend that to their home entertainment devices.
Whilst the message to switch TVs and other appliances off, rather than leaving them in standby mode, is an oft repeated one, and is probably starting to sink in, consumers may not be aware of exactly what the running costs of their TV is when it's in use.
A new website hopes to address that. sust-it.net compares the published running costs of consumer/office electrical and white goods, by taking the published energy consumption rates then multiplying that value by an average electricity unit tariff.
It reveals that there are some plasma TV screens that use nearly 1.5 KwH, which could cost £1.18 an evening to watch (based on 5 hours viewing). Quite apart from the financial cost, it will also generate 1.4 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Not surprisingly, larger TVs (an increasingly popular choice) are the worst offenders when it comes to energy use. One model of Sony 52" LCD TV comes in at 27p per day, or around £100 per year, whereas one model of Samsung 50" plasma TV costs 45p per day, or around £165 per year.
Of course, these values vary greatly between sets, even from the same manufacturer (that's the disclaimer bit before anyone thinks I've singled out TVs - these were models that actually performed best in their class)
It's a useful site that makes it easy to see, at a glance, what the environmental impact of your TV could be. Of course (to quote the old kids programme) you could just "switch off your TV set and go out and do something less boring instead". But then, TV isn't boring, is it?
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