Refrigerators, cell phone chargers, bedside lamps, ceiling fans and other electronics consume an immense amount of energy but video game consoles may be the biggest power hogs in the house, consuming about 16 billion kilowatt hours per year.
More than 40 percent of all homes in the United States have gaming consoles and its estimated that half of these systems are on constantly, according to the National Resource Defense Council. If you have a console, or have friends and family that do, try to follow the steps below to reduce the energy consumed.
Turn off the console when not in use – An Xbox or a Playstation 3 left on 24/7 everyday uses as much energy as two fridges.
The auto rental industry is making a conscious effort to drive into a greener future. Zipcar, Hertz, and Enterprise are trying to do their part in contributing to a cleaner and greener environment by marketing eco-friendly car share services and fuel-efficient vehicles. Next time you need a car consider one of these programs:
Zipcar
Zipcars first hit the road in 2000 and now, 9 years later, Zipcar is one of Inc.’s top 500 fastest growing companies. For those living in cities and small communities, car sharing is the way to go and for every Zipcar that is shared, 15-20 personally-owned vehicles are taken off the road. Zipcar currently has 5,000 cars in more than a dozen cities and 50 universities worldwide.
Connect
If Hertz has its way, Zipcar won’t dominate car-sharing program in the market for long. Hertz Connect lets costumers reserve a Toyota Prius hybrid or BMW Mini Cooper and drive it like they own it (with gas, roadside assistance and insurance included in the price).
