This Halloween, don’t feed the vampire!

Did you know that your home is full of energy vampires?

Also known as phantom load, vampire appliances are things like cell phone chargers, microwaves, and even flat-screen TVs that continue drawing power from wall outlets even when they appear to be switched off.

The Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge has launched an energy vampire education campaign, just in time for Halloween! Flyers and posters that urge kids and their families to go on a “vampire scavenger hunt” around their homes are being distributed to schools and libraries in each of 14 towns participating in the Challenge. 

In a press release about the campaign, Neighbor to Neighbor Program Manager Kerry O’Neill explains why the program is so vital: 

“The amount of energy – and money – wasted through vampire draw is downright frightening. Each year, it takes the combined output of 17 power plants to power devices that U.S. homeowners think they’ve turned off, from microwaves and coffeemakers to flat-screen TVs and cell phone chargers. Our vampire campaign will empower kids and their families to reduce energy costs in a fun, interactive way.”

More about Neighbor to Neighbor: The Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge is a community energy savings program made possible by a $4.17 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, funded as part of the BetterBuildings initiative, whose mission is to create a self-sustaining building energy upgrade market. With more than $500 million in federal funding, Neighbor to Neighbor is one of 41 state and local government programs providing high quality energy improvements to homes and businesses across the nation.

Over three years, Neighbor to Neighbor will engage residents in 14 towns, helping them reduce their energy use by 20 percent. For more information, visit www.ctenergychallenge.com.