Tip o’ the Day: Unplug that Cell Phone Charger
So you want something simple to do your part? Just unplug your cell phone charger.
When your phone is charging it's only using about 5% of the power it sucks from your outlet. That other 95% adds up to a lot of wasted energy, especially if you leave it plugged in minus the phone.
Of course you could get rid of that conventional charger all together and go wireless with Wild Charge, or opt for a solar powered charger. (Solar powered cell phones are still a little ways off.)
Soon your cell phone may even remind you to unplug. Last year, the European Commission's mobile industry task force (led by Nokia) announced that cell phones will include alerts to remind people to unplug the charger once the phone is fully charged.
Amy says: I used to be very guilty of leaving the charger plugged in. Now I've got into the habit of disconnecting the charger from the wall, then disconnecting the phone from the charger. It seems easier to remember doing it in that order rather than the other way around.
More information:
Tree Hugger
Tags: cell+phone, charger, Climate Change, Conservation, Daily Tips, electricity, Green Tech, phantom power, Science and Tech, unplug
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:56 pm
or you could just switch it off at the socket!
Why don’t the chargers manufacturers include a switch on the charger, or a system that tell the charger when the phone is fully charged and then disconnect itself from the power?
July 3rd, 2007 at 12:28 am
I had no idea that the charger sucks up energy even when the cell phone is not plugged in…man, now I am going to have to start doing that…thanks for the tip
July 9th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
They could spend millions developing and implementing that, yeah.
Or you could just put forth an extra half second of time and effort and unplug it from the wall.
Whatever works I guess.
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 am
Set your cell phone free from it’s dependency of the power companies. A Solar Cell Phone Charger is an innovative idea
January 10th, 2009 at 12:05 am
You need to get facts before you spread this misinformation. If a charger uses any electricity when a phone is not plugged in, it’s nearly undetectable. I tested my phone charger and a standard desk lamp. The 40 watt desk lamp used .3 amps electricity, the phone charger .03 amps, and the charger with no phone
.00 amps; too small for a meter to register. You should concentrate on things you know and understand.
February 17th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
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