July 30, 2008 Power wastage associated with standby modes in consumer electronics devices makes up a staggering 1% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and costs the average household the equivalent of one months bill every year.
GOOD Magazine has dubbed this wastage "vampire energy" and assembled a compelling graph that shows the average yearly cost of standby modes in common household devices - with the increasingly common plasma TV costing a whopping $159.76 per year to leave on standby.
So instead of only unplugging your entertainment unit when you're going away for a month, why don't you try leaving it unplugged until you're going to use it? (...and convince your friends and family to do the same thing.) It's a little hassle for a lot of gain.
Source: Waxy