jakorte's blog

A few years ago, I read an online article about ways to reduce electricity consumption. I was fascinated to learn that even appliances in the off mode could still be sucking up electricity. When I passed this information on to my husband, he guffawed. “Absolutely not true!"

I thought it was worth checking out, so I secretly unplugged some of our less used appliances. Must not have been so secretly, because the next day, all were mysteriously plugged back in. I unplugged them again, only to discover the phantom re-plugger had been ‘round the house, again.

A few months later, watching an episode of the TV show “Til Death," I laughed to see the very same issue addressed. Joy, of course, believed the electricity saving advice, and Eddie thought it was a farce. And, so began the plugging and unplugging.

It’s weird to see your life on TV. It’s also highly amusing.

Jeff and I never did resolve the electric argument. With all the unplugging and re-plugging, we never were able to prove a savings or not, one way or the other. Then, this month’s Reader’s Digest shows up, and guess what? The April 2008 edition, page 17, has a lovely little blurb about… Vampire Electricity.

If nothing else, at least unplugging all of those dormant appliances reduces the chances of a house fire… Who me, worry?

jak