Just Pull the Plug

Because I have always suffered with forgetting to unplug cords from the electrical sockets and never remember to turn my fan off that runs day in and day out, I’ve tried to come up with ways of reminding myself, even on days when I am in a rush. I recently noticed that ever outlet in my room is always occupied, there is not one single outlet that remains unoccupied, some outlets even have power strips plugged into them, with another three or four chargers extending off of them.

When I read the instructions for the second step of our behavior challenge I went straight to the library database and began searching for articles regarding unplugging unused outlets. I was surprised when the article stated that I should “plug electronics into power strips instead of wall sockets” (Smith, 2006). I was always under the impression that power strips used more energy than just plugging into a wall socket. But I learned that “switch(ing) off (on)the power strip prevent(s) standby consumption” (Smith, 2006). It would be much easier for me to plug all of my electronics into one power strip that then plugged into one wall socket than having ever charger plugged into separate wall sockets all over the room.

The reason behind people constantly using energy even when not using an electronic that is plugged into the wall socket is because people today are always usually in such a rush when leaving a room that they forget to take the extra time to unplug electronics from the wall. I’ve made it much easier for myself not to forget to unplug my cords upon exiting the room by taking just a few simple steps. I have compiled all of my charging cables into one power strip which in turn only uses one wall socket. Instead of having to go around the room finding and unplugging each and every electronic that is connected to the wall, I now only have to take the time to go over to the one outlet and shut off the power strip. Because my memory is usually not very reliable when I am in a rush though, I placed a sticky note right about the door knob so that I will always see the reminder before I leave the room every day.

In finding the cause of the bad action, I have been able to reduce the frequency of the action. Also, in limiting the amount of steps required I have also made life a little bit easier for myself and better for the environment. All I need to do now is just pull the plug!