Major mobile phone manufacturers have agreed on a ratings system to advise consumer on how energy-efficient their phone chargers are. Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, and LG will place the chargers for their handsets on a scale from zero to five stars, with a five-star rating going to the most efficient chargers. Even when a charger isn't attached to a phone, as long as it's plugged into a wall socket, it draws power. A charger making a high-pitched noise or getting warm to the touch is a sign of energy being wasted. Of course, this announcement raises two questions: why don't the companies simply switch over to all energy-conserving models instead of just pointing out the low-efficiency ones, and why are so many people wasting money and power by leaving unused chargers plugged in?

What are your habits with your gadgets? Do you unplug chargers when not in use, or are the few pennies you'd save not worth the trouble? Let us know in the comments below.

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