Most of us would recognize the electric bread toaster invented in 1919. When the bread was done, the electricity was shut off to prevent over cooking. When the patent was issued soon after, this product was credited as the first electric auto shut off device.
In the 1960’s I can remember my father following me around our home in the evening and shouting, “Shut off the lights when you leave a room in this house.” He was an electric shut off device of sorts.
Fast forward to 2010… escalating fuel prices have caused electricity to increase in cost 500% since 1960. Not only is your pocketbook suffering, but Mother Nature is pleading with us to ‘kill-a-watt’ or risk out of control global warming from green house gas emissions. Businesses lead the way in energy conservation because it adds money to their bottom line. However we, the people, are not as pragmatic.
The Department of Energy estimates that we could save 29% of the energy burned, if we just shut things off when not in use. Instead we leave them running. Cars idle, TV’s run endlessly, and “vampire” electronics run in the standby mode around the clock. The problem is we forget, get distracted, or just don’t care. If we ran our electric bill like a business, we would save ‘moo la’ and just maybe the planet. So exactly how can we do it? Inventors to the rescue!
One company in Pompano Beach, Florida, has developed or should I say re-invented, the electric auto shut off device called “Simple Touch”. With consumer forgetfulness in mind, the Simple Touch solves the problem of saving electricity by automatically shutting off your appliance at a pre-determined time. For example a shift worker using Simple Touch could set the auto shut off of power to his machinery for the morning coffee break, and at lunchtime, and afternoon break, and when the day ends. At home with Simple Touch, you could shut your computer monitor, and flat iron, and light. Simply plug the device into Simple Touch – then set it. and forget it!
Your neighbors are doing it. Your friends are doing it. And you should do it. Shut off all appliances and lights when you are finished using them. Or plug them into a Simple Touch and know for sure that you are breaking the cycle of wasted energy.
