Survey: 36% Of U.S. Adults “Not Concerned” With Electronics Power Consumption
Adults in the U.S. could use a little more education on economics and physics, it seems. We’re not drawing the connection between power consumed by our electronics and the cost of our electric bills.
A new survey from the Consumer Electronics Association found thirty-six percent of adults in the U.S. are “not concerned” with the amount of power consumed by their gadgets, gear and appliances. Sixty percent of U.S. adults, by contrast, are concerned about the cost of their electric bill.
I’m not sure where the conundrum is supposed to be. 60% vs 36%. Since that adds up to 96%, the numbers are not such that you could conclusively say that there are people who are concerned about their electric bill and yet not concerned with the amount of power their gadgets draw. I would not be surprised if such people existed, mind you, but this survey does not present any evidence of irrationality in that regard.
The basis of point-of-sale taxation (including income tax and Social Security) is that people ignore having their nails clipped. Hack off a hand at the wrist alla t once and they notice. The next turn of the screw is “smart meters” in constant dialog with the electric company. Electronics, cleverness and communiation, eat enery. There are (24 hr/d)(365.2442 d/yr) = 8765.86 hr/yr. Clip, clip. clip.
The electric company is breaking your knees and billing you for crutches.
FWIW, my electric bill probably correlates pretty closely with my usage of the stove, dryer and AC. By comparison, it really doesn’t matter how often I charge my phone.
So count me among those who care about the electric bill but not about my consumer electronic gadgets.