Did you know that if your TV， computer and other appliances are plugged in， they are also draining electricity quietly—all day， every day—even when they are turned off？ Electric power consumed by products when they are switched off or in a standby mode is known as standby power （sometimes called vampire power or phantom power）.

你是否知道，如果你的電視、電腦和其他電器插上電源，即使它們已關(guān)機，它們也會一直在悄悄地耗電？產(chǎn)品關(guān)閉或處于待機模式時消耗的電能稱為待機能耗（有時稱為吸血鬼能耗或幻象能耗）。

Standby Power

待機能耗

Standby power refers to the way electric power is consumed by electrical appliances while they are switched off or in standby mode.

待機能耗是指電器關(guān)機或處于待機模式時所消耗的電力。

Under what circumstances will standby power consumption be generated？

什么情況下會產(chǎn)生待機能耗呢？

This only occurs because some devices claimed to be “switched off” on the electronic interface， but are in a different state from switching off at the plug， or disconnecting from the power point， which can solve the problem of standby power completely.

產(chǎn)生這種情況是因為一些設(shè)備只是在電子界面完成了所謂的“關(guān)機”，而沒有拔掉電器插頭或切斷電源，只有斷電才能徹底解決待機能耗的問題。

Add up Waste

積少成多的浪費

Standby power is difficult to detect because it is a waste of “add up to more”.

待機能耗難以被察覺，因為這是一種“積少成多”的浪費。

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that an individual could save around ?40 a year by turning off devices that are not using. Globally， standby consumption， both business and private， accounts for 2% of total electricity consumption and 1% of CO2 emissions.

據(jù)英國節(jié)能信托基金會估計，如果能消除待機能耗，每人每年可節(jié)省約40英鎊（約合人民幣330元）。全球范圍內(nèi)，公用和私用待機能耗之和占總用電量的2%，貢獻了1%的二氧化碳排放量。

It is imperative to reduce unnecessary energy consumption. Here are a few energy saving tips：

降低非必要能耗勢在必行，以下是幾個節(jié)能小妙招：

①Use a power strip with switches. Power surge protectors typically have such switches and help protect your appliances and electronics. If you plug all of your products into a power strip and flip off the power strip when these items are not in use， they are truly off.

①使用帶開關(guān)的電源板。電源浪涌保護器往往自帶開關(guān)，有助于保護電器和電子設(shè)備。把家電插在同一個電源板上，不用的時候就直接關(guān)閉電源板，這樣一來，所有電器的電源就都斷開了。

②Unplug your products. Now， there are some products that you will want to keep plugged in， such as the digital alarm clock in your bedroom or the refrigerator. But there are many appliances that you may not need to have plugged in， such as a toaster oven.

②隨手拔掉插頭。有些家電需要隨時通電，如冰箱和臥室里的鬧鐘。但是很多電器沒必要一直插著電源，如烤箱。

③Consider using energy-saving products. Many energy-saving products have lower standby power than other products.

③考慮使用節(jié)能電器。許多節(jié)能電器的待機能耗相對更低。

Word Bank

drain /dre?n/ v. 使（精力、金錢等）耗盡

consume /k?n'sju?m/ v. 消耗，耗費（燃料、能量、時間等）

The electricity industry consumes large amounts of fossil fuels.

interface /'?nt?fe?s/ n. （人機）界面（尤指屏幕布局和菜單）

strip /str?p/ n. （紙、金屬、織物等）條，帶