May 8th's Tip
Answering Machines: While everyone knows that leaving unused electronics and other household items plugged in while not in use is wasting energy, the answering machine's sole purpose - to record your missed calls - is taken away when it is unplugged. For this reason, answering machines are left plugged in at all times. This means they use energy 24/7/365, and when the answering machine's life is over, it will usually end up in the land fill.
One option that many are moving to is getting rid of their land lines entirely, and relying on mobile phones. While this is becoming more and more popular, it's not the best option for all, but it would succeed in unplugging that answering machine? What is another option for those who want to keep their land lines? Voice mail.
With voice mail, an answering machine is unnecessary, thus no energy waste, and nothing to end up in the land fill. Voice mail for a land line works in a similar manner to that for a mobile phone. To check your land line voice mail, you usually dial your own number, press a certain code in, and you have access to your messages. Separate mailboxes with different passcodes can usually be set up for each member of the family.
One of my favorite (sneaky, evil) things about having voice mail on the land line is something not available with an answering machine. With an answering machine, if you are on the line with someone and you get another call, you can ignore that call, but for the caller, the phone will just ring and ring until they hang up. With voice mail, if you don't answer the other call, they will here your voice mail message and assume you aren't home. *evil grin*
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3 Responses
1
Carrie
May 8th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
i only have my cell phone so this one doesn't apply to me but the other thing i was thinking doesn't make sense to unplug is clocks (like electronic alarm clocks). you don't really want to have to reset them every time you want to know what time it is.
2
pays to live green
May 8th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I agree. It is just another item that drains energy all the time. There is no need to have an answering machine anymore with voicemail available.
3
itot54joni
May 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
i always told my wife to unplug all the appliances that are not use.