Making smart decisions about which electronic appliances to use will make a big difference to how planet-saving your home is. One of the bigger breakthroughs in power saving electronics over the past decade is the LCD TV. Along with the benefits of its larger picture and slim-line design, they use 3 times less energy than an equivalent size CRT TV, while using a third less energy than Plasma TVs.

Screen size is also a big factor when it comes to energy consumption, for all TV types. The bigger the screen, the more energy it uses: so when when looking to buy a new TV, you may just have to ask yourself weather you really need a 42inch TV in the kitchen.

The next step in the TV technology is OLED (organic light-emitting diodes) TVs, these are currently leading the energy efficient TV race. Also check things like stand-by modes: the ‘vampire’ power a TV can use while it is supposedly off can vary quite dramatically.

Another thing to look at, is what you are plugging into your TV. Have you got a DVD, games console, DVD recorder, surround sound, digital TV receiver? When buying peripherals try and get one device that does a few things: maybe choose a games console and forget about buying a separate DVD player, or go for a digital provider that has a box with a built in recorder. Most companies see this multi function approach as the future of electronics so you will definitely be able to find something that suits your needs. This approach also limits the amount of electronic products you buy and will eventually have to throw away (or even better, recycle).

A little bit of thought when buying electronics for your home will not only save the planet but will save you money and, more importantly, limit the amount of remotes you will lose down the back of the couch.