Vampire Power

Vampire power is basically the constant leeching of power by electronic devices operating on standby mode.  Even though a device is "off", many still require power to run internal clocks and similar subsystems, so they continue to use electricity.  It is believed that vampire power actually accounts for 5% of the overall energy usage in the U.S., and upwards around 10% in some areas of Europe.  In order to lower the effects of vampire power, you can either unplug devices during the day when they are not in use, or either invest in more efficient devices, such as those approved by the EnergyStar program.