The cost of plug loads comes in the form of both money and time.

Every day, the average US adult spends about 5 hours on their mobile device and 3.5 hours watching TV. Over the average person’s lifetime, they will spend almost 2 years watching Youtube, over 1.5 years on Facebook, over 5 years on Tiktok, and over 8 years and 4 months watching TV.

This doesn’t mean that all electronic devices are inherently negative. Many provide real value, whether for work, connection, or entertainment. The goal is not to eliminate their use, but to become more intentional about it.

When you are more aware of how and when you use your devices, you gain more control over both your time and your energy consumption. In many cases, the same small changes, like turning devices off when not in use or setting boundaries around usage, can improve both.