Unplugging electronic appliances can save phantom energy, since devices aren't really "off" when turned off. Employees in large offices may be able to do that with some degree of ease. But that may not be practical in many homes and small offices.

Workstations in large offices usually face away from walls. Electric sockets and device attachments are generally accessible and some even plug into the floor. Computers, monitors, printers, faxes, cell phone chargers, and other equipment often connect to one surge protector, which can be easily switched off by the employee at the end of the day, and back on again the next morning.

Homes and small offices present greater difficulties.

In those settings, workstations (designed to face away from walls) are often flush against walls, and sockets and device attachments may be out of reach (computer repair people complain about that all the time).

Surge protectors are frequently dropped out of sight, between a desk and a wall, and can only be reached by crawling under the desk and groping blindly behind a dust-infested barricade. Wall sockets may be hidden forever behind heavy furniture, fortified desks, or rows of file cabinets.

Unplugged cables swiftly fall behind desks and are extremely difficult to retrieve.

Homes present even more problems, as electronic devices are not all in one place. An occupant has to roam through many rooms, unplugging numerous devices in the evening and plugging them all in again each morning.

Many wires and cables - especially those connected to media devices - are beyond reach, behind wall units and other pieces of furniture that will not be moved until equipment requires service or needs to be replaced.

So, stopping phantom energy may be a positive action. But doing so is not always practical (so don't worry so much about it).