Is That a Vampire? No, Just a European.

Europe imposed a ban on incandescent light bulbs last fall. We're all in favor of saving energy using fluorescent light bulbs in closets and basements. But fluorescent lighting's narrow spectrum turns us into pallid vampires. This is especially dreadful in the morning before we've had our first cups of coffee.

In our opinion, there are less demoralizing ways to save energy, without foregoing full-spectrum lighting. For instance, using the power-saving features built into your PC.

The US Environmental Protection Agency urges computer users to look for the ENERGY STAR rating when they shop for new equipment, to minimize their use of electricity.

Other simple tips: run laptops on AC power instead of on battery power. Set PCs to go to sleep to conserve energy. The US Environmental Protection Agency includes a list of tips at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.pr_power_management

To conserve energy (yours), sign up for one free month of Comodo Internet Security Pro, with livePCsupport. With livePCsupport, you open a chat window with a Comodo technician. Via the livePCsupport connection, she or he can actually refine your PC settings to make your PC more environmentally-friendly.

The EPA is also concerned about vampires—of a different kind

The EPA's Student Activity Guide says

Unplug any battery chargers or power adapters, or use a power strip as a central "turn off "when you are not using equipment. Your cell phone charger, MP3 player charger, laptop power adapter, and other appliances consume electricity when they are plugged in but turned off. This is called "standby" or "vampire" power, and it is a waste of resources.