Technology

Yes, that's why I say it doesn't generalize. They mention this in the article. These old power bricks from the 90s with a heavy copper transformer inside waste a lot of power on standby compared to the modern switch-mode power supplies. But times have changed. On the flipside we have a lot more electronic gadgets these days and things in fact add up. So if you have modern things like 5 smart lightbulbs in the house, then a network switch, an internet router and a wifi extender, plus a few USB chargers at the bedside, the livingroom, a TV set with a PS4 and a soundbar plus subwoofer. A few LED strips in the gaming den... Then you might own a dishwasher and washing machine with wifi, the oven has a display, the microwave above yet another one, the cable TV has some booster in the basement... You're likely paying more than a few cents for that. And the things which run unattended 24/7 for decades, buried somewhere, tend to not get replaced every few years, so you might still own a power brick from the 90s. So I'd say it's worth looking into... I mean not super important, you can as well skip it and just pay the amount... But it's a thing. And I mean if you're unalike me and buy a new stereo every 10 years or so, that's also not necessarity helping the environment, and they cost money. So it's a bit complicated and a balance. At least I can somehow relate to the article, because the multi-outlet power strips behind the TV and my desk with the computer kind of look like the pictures there...