Not everyone has a new electric vehicle in their plans right now, nor are all Americans able to avoid carbon-spewing commercial flights. Still, you can take modest steps that collectively make huge gains in environmental responsibility.
One way to start is by following Energy Star® guidance in buying and using common household products, like your washer, dryer and thermostat.
Energy Star® is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S Department of Energy program that certifies products based on their energy efficiency characteristics. Products that carry the Energy Star® designation can collectively safeguard the environment in big ways.
Smart thermostats – Many of these simple Wi-Fi-enabled devices can “learn” household temperature preferences and automatically adjust settings when the family is asleep or away for the day. 1 Such a device would mean no more leaving the heat running high when nobody’s at home, or the AC left at max chill when the family’s away for the week on vacation.
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Imagine for a moment that every U.S. household used an Energy Star® certified smart thermostat. As a result, there would be total annual savings of: 2
Washing machines – – If every washing machine sold and used in The United States carried an Energy Star® certification, households could collectively save more than: 3
Dryers – Energy Star® certified dryers use about 20 percent less energy than standard models. Putting a new certified washer/dryer set in a home could result in savings of more than $380 in the lifetime of the products over a conventional washer/dryer set – and do the planet good.3
The point is, some of the small, easy decisions you make in running your household can contribute towards planet-saving numbers. To find out more about Energy Star® products and appliances and the positive impact the certification can have on the planet, check out EnergyStar.gov.
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