Appliances that meet specifications set by the federal government for energy efficiency receive an ENERGY STAR label. To earn the label, appliances must offer significant energy savings and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. Buying an appliance with this label benefits consumers and the environment in many ways.
Cutting Down on Greenhouse Emissions
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Electricity created by burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere and contributes to global warming. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases make an insulating layer that lets solar radiation in but stops it from being reflected back out. As a result, this trapped solar radiation heats the Earth’s surface and results in climate change and global warming. However, switching to efficient appliances uses less electricity and therefore produces fewer greenhouse emissions.
Conserving Water
Water is a limited resource on our planet. Less than 1 percent of water on Earth is useable by people. The rest is either frozen or salt water. Since the average household uses around 260 gallons of water daily, it’s more important than ever to choose home appliances that conserve water.
Using nearly 30 percent of residential water, toilets are the biggest consumers of water in a household. In fact, toilets made before 1992 use around 3.5 gallons with every flush. Switching to a WaterSense toilet could save a family of four around $2,000 in water bills over the life of the toilet, and if all those older toilets were replaced, it could save the country nearly 2 billion gallons of water per day.
Helping the Economy
A large portion of the electricity generated in the United States comes from non-renewable resources such as petroleum and natural gas. Switching to energy-saving appliances puts less pressure on these resources as researchers develop better ways to harness the power of renewable energy sources. This push towards energy-efficient projects is also creating jobs. In 2010, there were more than 830,000 jobs around the country dealing with energy efficiency projects.
Moreover, choosing energy-saving home appliances isn’t just creating jobs; it’s also saving a lot of money. To be more specific, energy efficiency is saving American businesses, citizens, and the government over $500 billion every year in energy costs.
Saving Energy and Reducing Energy Costs
For consumers, two of the most important reasons for switching to energy-saving home appliances are that they save energy and reduce energy costs. The average household in the United States spends $5,550 a year in energy expenses. However, switching to energy-efficient appliances, such as those made by LG, can add up to savings of hundreds of dollars per year.
For example, a refrigerator made in 1979 consumes anywhere between 120 and 300 kWh every month, while one made after 2001 consumes between 31 and 64 kWh. This increased efficiency equals more savings in energy costs. An ENERGY STAR-rated refrigerator can save a significant amount over its lifetime compared to a regular model.
Choosing energy-saving home appliances is one way to work toward a cleaner and healthier environment. In doing so, consumers can also enjoy the benefits not only of saving energy, but of saving money as well.