But First: Is standby power use really necessary?
Sometimes. Certain appliance functions that do require small amounts of electricity include:
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Maintaining signal reception capability (for remote control, telephone or network signal)
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Monitoring temperature or other conditions (such as in a refrigerator)
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Powering an internal clock
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Battery charging
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Continuous display
Good design can make the power requirements for these functions very low (but not yet zero).
How can I reduce the waste of unneeded Standby Power?
It's not easy, but here are some suggestions:
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If you aren't frequently using a device, unplug it. (This works fine for the 6th TV in the guest bedroom or the VCR.) Warning, don't frequently unplug and plug in appliances because you could get electrocuted from frayed wires and plugs.
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Use a switchable power strip for clusters of computer or video products. That way you can switch everything to zero with one action. There are many types of these strips.
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When shopping, search for low standby products. (Asking a salesperson will probably be a waste of time.) ENERGY STAR products have lower standby.
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Buy a low-cost watt-meter, measure the devices in your home and take targeted action. You will certainly be surprised at what you discover and this exercise might even pay back the cost of the meter in savings. An example of this is a tool called Kill-A-Watt.
The number of new appliances that continuously draw power is increasing rapidly, especially in the developing countries. We suspect that standby continues to increase. Recent Japanese policies to reduce standby appear to be effective since the latest studies (2008) suggest that standby power is decreasing. The reduction is a result of both improved technologies and heightened consumer awareness.
Limited research suggests that an informed and aggressive approach can reduce standby use by about 30%. Frankly, there are more productive ways to save energy with an investment of an hour, but if high standby energy use stands between you and the goal of a zero energy home, then it's an hour well spent.