Quietly and smoothly, Energy Star appliances have crept into the mainstream. Sure, it seems like everyone knows about them, or has heard about them, and as good My Green Clickers, we have climbed on the Energy Star bandwagon as much as we can. But really, what does having an Energy Star label on an appliance really mean? We vaguely understand that it saves energy, which saves us money, which saves the environment, but where did this idea come from and where is it going? Let's find out, shall we?
The program itself began in 1992 as a way to cut greenhouse gas emissions from coal fired power plants. It was developed by the EPA and was initially targeted at the boom in computer and monitor usage.
The trend caught on, and by 1995, the program was expanded to include heating and cooling systems for new homes. When I bought my first house in 1996, I had the opportunity to upgrade both the furnace and the central air system. Although Energy Star products were pricier, I chose them and noticed straight away that my bills for both heating and cooling were the equivalent of most other people's heating bills alone. That sold me right there!
After that, Energy Star appliances began to appear, and they also caught on, and more than 40,000 products available, according to 2006 estimates. I'll throw in some hard numbers for you, and you can see for yourself the considerable savings you'd get over conventional products.
Expect more than a 20 percent saving with Energy Star refrigerators.
You'll get upwards of 41 percent savings on dishwashers. And in fact, people have calculated the relative effect and energy usage between hand washing and drying vs using an Energy Star dishwasher, and the numbers come out virtually the same!
Energy Star TVs are 30 percent more efficient.
Room air conditioners are 10 percent more efficient.
Even new homes built can be given the Energy Star logo, and they must be at least 15 percent more efficient than a standard built home.
Now you know a little bit about what an Energy Star product means, and when choosing a new product for your home, make it an Energy Star purchase. Your pocketbook will thank you, and you'll also get a lot of good feelings with some piece of mind, too!
Source: BecauseAction.com
