Consumption, Consumption, What's Your Function?

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NOTE: With winter upon us, In the Loop with DotLoop has designated the next month as Home Energy Month and will feature articles on how you can reduce your home's energy consumption through simple steps. DotLoop is dedicated to making every aspect of the home buying and owning experience as eco-friendly as possible.

When I was younger, I used to go into my brother's room and turn off his lights when he wasn't in there. He always got mad at me, threatening my very livelihood with his usual wit ("I'll kill you next time you go into my room, punk"). For him, it was a matter of privacy; for me, it was a matter of waste. Even at the ripe old age of twelve, I knew that keeping the lights on in an empty room costs money.

The above video, recently featured on NBC's Today Show, shows not only the obvious (keeping your lights on does waste money; so there, Kevin), but also highlights some surprising facts. Big screen TVs, for example, cost less to operate per hour ($.06) than a plugged in phone charger sans phone ($.10).

More energy is wasted keeping our homes and buildings powered than spent stuck in traffic, and the average family spends a whopping $2200 a year on energy bills alone.

So next time you leave your house, make it a point to unplug and turn off anything not needed, and instead of turning up that thermostat, put on an extra sweater. Your bank account will thank you, even if your brother doesn't.