Ghouls and goblins abound this time of year, but are there "vampires" in your home making your energy bills scary?

Energy vampires are electronics that use energy even in standby mode - computers, televisions and video game systems that silently add to energy use at home.  Over time, it adds up.  For communities, energy vampires strain the power grid.  For homeowners, they add unnecessary cost to your energy bill.  It's fairly easy to 'slay' energy vampires in your home and save energy and money in the process.  And this Halloween, Repower At Home is inviting Bethesda residents to take The Vampire Power Challenge.

Repower at Home is a project of the Alliance for Climate Protection, a non-profit founded by Al Gore in 2006.  The Alliance is a non-partisan organization that aims to educate communities about implementing global climate solutions. 

For Halloween, Repower at Home's web-based Vampire Hunt will help you 'slay' the energy vampires in your home and encourage others to do the same.  With information and action steps, this challenge is a guide to saving energy and understanding how vampire electronics waste energy.

 The Challenge also invites you to become part of a team by either organizing your own or joining an existing team in your area.  Teams can be any size and work together to organize meetings, share local tips on saving energy, and encourage members to set and meet goals for action.   Teams can follow their progress via Repower at Home's web site.  Vampire Hunt Halloween decorations are also available on the site, designed to draw attention to vampire electronics in homes.

 "Halloween might be scary, but our energy bills don't have to be.  This Vampire Hunt is a unique chance for households to reduce pollution and save money at the same time," said Keith Goodman, director of Repower at Home.

Repower at Home recently included Bethesda in community outreach for the Vampire Power Challenge. Ed Stierli, Repower at Home field organizer, was on-hand at Bethesda Green this Thursday. "We've accomplished quite a bit in Bethesda just with community meetings.  We want to empower new people," Stierli  said.

Volunteers agree to spread information about saving energy to people they know, he said. "In Bethesda we have four or five volunteers for the  challenge, and we ask each volunteer to connect with at least four people," Stierli  said.

Repower at Home's Guide for Vampire Slayers is available on their web site and also as a handout.  It's a practical 'how to' about the 'thirstiest' energy vampires in your home, and how to save energy.   In home offices the energy vampires are computers, monitors and speakers, and Repower at Home advises attaching these electronics to a smart power strip that will automatically cut power to outlets not in use.  Televisions, DVD players, DVRs and video game systems are the 'thirstiest' when it comes to home entertainment systems.  To reduce energy consumption for these electronics, simply unplug them when they're not being used.  "The hardest thing is to change your behavior," Stierli  said, "But what's good about vampire power is it doesn't cost anything to do."  You'll see the result in your energy bill.

Repower at Home's Bethesda-based efforts to promote energy saving won't stop with the Vampire Power Challenge.  Ed Stierli will speak about energy saving at the Maryland Energy & Sustainability Co-op's monthly meeting at 7p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3 at Bethesda Green, and is planning more Bethesda-based meetings in coming months.