Did you know that 40% of energy used in your home/office is consumed by consumer electronics when they are powered-down or turned off?

The New York Times article "Putting Energy Hogs in the Home on a Strict Low-Power Diet" outlines just how this happens.

Indeed, the Department of Energy estimates that in the average home, 40 percent of all electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off.

Then, the writer works through some alternatives to reduce power consumption.

Mostly consumption can be reduced by making sure your electronic items power down when not in use to use little to no electricity while not in use. Tweaking power consumption of computer and computer related electricity guzzlers can pay off.

Tweaking can pay off. Annually, my desktop PC is now using 73 percent less energy - saving me $119 a year and depriving the earth of 1,405 more pounds of CO2.

What about working through your home office? You could be able to make similar savings!