no.47 - The Demon Electric

Each night as I turn out the lights and head off to bed, I look across my living room and see a small constellation of LED lights. A camera, laptop and cell-phone are charging here. The TV, DVD-recorder, and cable box are sparkling there. My printer, scanner, speakers, and a half dozen hard drives storing my photography all glitter in the dark.

How much electricity is wasted this way? It might make a beautiful sight if the colors were not all garish reds and greens.

If I can, I cut them off at the source, flipping off the surge protectors that supply life to my electronics in groups of six, and eight and twelve.

The trouble is, if even a single item needs to stay on — to download podcasts, back up drives or record a late night movie — everything else on the little electric tree either must remain on too, or be unplugged by hand.

I never unplug them. Neither do you. All across America a small, slow seeping of energy trickles out into the ether through our microwaves, televisions and other devices, which wait for our morning return.

A composite of LED's in my home.