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Why It's Good:
GreenSwitch can lower your electric bill by as much as 20% - 40% (depending on the way your utility company charges); you'll see a return on your investment in as few as 10 months. It won't wreck your décor either—it looks like a simple white switchplate.
Why It's Green:
Many appliances draw standby power even when they're turned off, wasting unnecessary energy all the time. GreenSwitch drastically reduces home energy use by shutting off the main power source for the whole house.
Where To Get It:
http://www.greenswitch.tv
Starter kits come with a main switch, 4 other light switches and 4 plugs, for $1,125. You can install it yourself, or Greenswitch can send technicians for about $240. Call 800-925-5103 for price quotes on customized packages.
Save Money With a Flick of a Switch
Appliances plugged into sockets use up precious energy, even when they're turned off—this is my current (ha!) horror. So I've become a big unplugger. As soon as my cell phone is juiced up, I unplug the charger. When I'm done drying my hair, I unplug the blow-dryer. I even unplug my laptop when it has enough battery charge to use on its own. But there are so many other harder-to-unplug electrical items in the home that also waste standby power (like, say, your television). GreenSwitch has invented an easy solution. With one switch, you can now shut off the main power source in your home (don't worry—you won't freeze or stumble around in the dark or spoil your favorite fridge foods). Originally designed to control energy consumption in hotels, GreenSwitch's wireless technology is so simple, it's genius: Once the main switch is turned off, a signal "talks" to all appliances you've connected to GreenSwitch wall-outlet plugs and light switches while thermostats are automatically set to a temperature you choose. You can still answer a midnight bathroom calling, because individual light switches override the system when you need them to. GreenSwitch is completely wireless and can be retrofitted to an existing home, like changing a regular light switch to a dimmer switch. They really did think of everything to make this system easy and convenient. Now as long as I flip my GreenSwitch, I don't have to unplug a thing.—Allison McCarthy
