I don't know what it is, because my partner is very eco-conscious in most ways, but I seem to follow him around the house turning the lights off after him. No matter how much I pester him, he still leaves them on. I think I'll make him sign up for the Ontario Power Authority's Power Pledge, a online pledge to reduce Phantom Power — the electricity used by some home electronics and appliances even when they are turned off. Phantom Power can waste up to 15 per cent of the average home’s electricity use. OK, so not exactly about turning off the lights, but it will certainly keep us cognizant of the amount of power we use in our home. Apparently for the average Ontario household, which uses about 1,000 kilowatt-hours of power a month, phantom power can cost up to $100 a year. And, three of every four Ontario residents are unaware of this invisible user of electricity. Aside from committing to reducing phantom power (by totally shutting off your TV, stereo, computer, rechargeable devices and gaming consoles when not in use), you can commit to reducing your power usage a variety of other ways. And, Ontarians who take the Pledge will earn 20 AIR MILES reward miles. Plus, the Ontario Power Authority will donate 10 reward miles to a participating charity of your choice, like WWF-Canada. If you don't live in Ontario, it's still worth checking out the site to see how you can cut down on power usage. In honour of this great program, the OPA has offered up three AMAZING prize packs (check out the image below). They include: • A power bar with automatic shutoff to reduce phantom power • 1,000 Bonus Air Miles (this could get $140 in grocery gift certificates, movie tickets or even a 3 piece luggage set) • A cute & cuddly toy panda from WWF-Canada • Cold water laundry detergent [caption id="attachment_1116" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The OPA prize pack!"] [/caption] To be eligible to win, simply tell us here what you are going to do to help reduce the use of phantom power. I'll announce the winners here on Tuesday, April 20. Remember, you need to be a subscriber to win. Also, even those who live outside of Ontario are eligible to win.

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