Video Game Consoles - Top Energy Gluttons

Going Green is probably the most fashionable thing to do - right after owning the latest gaming gizmo. There is universal support for green causes these days (tree-hugger isn't an anathema anymore) and no demographic is more vocal on these issues than the younger generation.

A new study by Australian consumer agency, Choice may prick the conscience of Generation 2.0. The study rates most of the electronic devices and household appliances in their energy use. It has found that a Sony PS3 console when left running, will consume five times more energy than your average refrigerator! Other energy hogs were Xbox 360, Plasma TV sets, Desktop PCs. The study draws a debatable comparison between Apple iMac and a monitor-less PC saying that iMac uses only two-thirds of energy compared to a PC. The report also advocates a series of energy saving tips. The full report is available here.

As is in any developing market, the first few years are spent on getting things in working order. Efficiency kicks in when the industry has matured and every bit of productivity makes a difference to the bottom line. I hope reports like this create more consumer awareness and eventually force these companies to adopt much greener products.

On the other side, we are always outraged by our higher energy costs and almost always put the blame on anybody but us. We all need to go on a different kind of diet! Can we all watch our energy consumption like single-minded focus we bring to watching our weight? Turning off all electronic items when not in use may the first step.