Resource! Checkout Kill A Watt Meters.

From Colorado Springs Utilities website: We've teamed up with the Pikes Peak Library District, PPLD, to provide Kill A Watt meters that can be borrowed, just like books, to help you check-in to energy savings. A Kill A Watt meter is a simple and remarkably useful device that reveals how much plug-in appliances are costing you to operate. Two meters are available at each PPLD location for check-out. To measure an appliance’s electricity use, simply plug the meter into a wall socket and then plug an appliance or small electronic item into the meter. The meter will display how much energy the device uses over a specific period of time – even when the electronic is supposedly switched off. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that about 10 percent of household electricity use is consumed by idle devices, or those that continue to draw power when they are off. This waste can be measured by the Kill A Watt meter. Once the high-energy use appliances are identified, you can take special care to turn them off, unplug them if not needed or replace them. By making energy-saving adjustments, you can take charge of your electricity use and lower your utility bill. We have energy and water experts available to answer your questions at the Conservation and Environmental Center. To find a library location, visit the PPLD website.