Green Whitegoods!

Energy Star Appliances by Anne Clarke

By purchasing energy star appliances consumers are doing their part to live a green lifestyle and preserve the environment. The energy star label is not placed on all appliances. It is a specialized label that was created and developed by the Environment Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy for specific appliances that are made for home use.

An energy star label is a small label and it can be difficult to find on some appliances. The label itself is white and blue and has a simple design. It consists of a blue star and the words "energy star." It is important for all concerned consumers to look for the label when purchasing new appliances. If the label cannot be found most sales people are knowledgeable on which appliances meet the energy star specifications.

The environmental energy star specifications are rigorous. They are meant to find the best products that are efficient to use and earth friendly. Each product is tested for its consumption and energy use. For example, with appliances that use water, they use less water than other appliances that are not energy star rated. Every appliance that is awarded an energy star label offers significant energy savings, pollution reduction and economic savings. In fact, the energy star label usually certifies that an appliance will use up to ¾ less energy than regular non-energy star items.

An entire house can easily be outfitted with the best energy efficient appliances. Owners sometimes choose to get new appliances during a remodel or during construction of a new home. Other property owners simply upgrade their existing appliances one by one.

Almost every home appliance can be certified with the energy star label. Some of the most popular types of household items that can be energy star appliances include: clothes washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers.

There are also some energy star household items that many consumers do not realize exist. These items include: battery chargers, air cleaners, water coolers, water heaters, dehumidifiers and air conditioners. All of these items are great to include in an energy efficient home.

Not every environmentally conscience person owns an energy star certified appliance. One of the largest reasons for this is cost. Energy efficient appliances are not the least expensive appliances that are available on the retail market. In fact, the energy star label can often mean a higher price for a household appliance or other item. The higher initial price is worth it to most. A person's cost of energy can easily go down with that addition of even one energy efficient appliance in their home. With more than one appliance, the savings in energy costs in usually more than noticeable.

For those of us that can still not afford a large upfront cost for a green appliance, there are in-store sales and used appliances available. Some stores even offer additional discounts on appliances that have been slightly damaged. The damage is most often cosmetic and does not affect the workings of the machine. A cosmetically damaged product is a great way to get an energy star appliance at a lower cost and still be able to benefit from its energy efficiency and savings.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on renewable energy, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, and health and fitness. For more of her useful articles on energy conservation, please visit Energy Evolutions.

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