Trying to save the planet...

Ah, the initial burst of enthusiasm... second post within hours!

Anyway...

I'm not quite at the tree-hugging stage yet but, like most people I'm sure, I'm becoming more aware of how much energy I use and how much I could save. I've been replacing bulbs with more energy efficient ones as and when I can find equivalents. I found a great selection here, but I'm still struggling to find some bulbs, like striplight and MR16 halogen replacements that have equivalent wattages to those currently in the flat. I'm switching off appliances like the oven & microwave at the wall when they're not in use - I really don't need 5 digital clocks in every room! And I'm already noticing the difference in the electricity bill - so it's worth it for anyone, even if you're not worried about the planet.

My latest idea was to install timer switches for some of the appliances that have regular usage patterns. Like the broadband router - we don't need it on when we're asleep, and we don't need it if we're at work. So I paid a visit to that temple of gross consumerism, Argos, to invest in some timer switches. Problem is, the type of timer switches I want (electronic, 7-day schedule) don't specify anywhere what the power consumption is for the unit when it's in normal operation. There's no use in plugging an appliance into it in order to save energy if the timer itself consumes more watts than the appliance itself!

I guess I'm going to have to invest in one of these to find out.

So, manufacturers, please let us know what the power consumption of your devices are. And everyone else... before I go get a power meter, any idea how much power a TS-EE8 7-day electronic timer consumes?