Star of the Class: Energy Star

Energy Star

Some dear friends of ours just got engaged last week and that leads us to thinking about gifts for the home, organizing new kitchens and fun stuff like that . While they may battle over the gunmetal vs. baby pink Kitchen Aid stand mixer, we know one thing that will make their lives easier as they shop for things for their new home...looking for the Energy Star sticker.

Energy Star is a program of the Enviromental Protection Agency which is a branch of the US Department of Energy. More than 50 types of products can earn the Energy Star, including appliances, lighting, home electronics, and home office equipment. Energy Star qualified products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. EPA. They use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment.

For the kitchen and laundry room, you can now find Energy Star refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, water coolers and washer/dryers. But that's not all...there's Energy Star TV's, DVD players and Home Audio Systems.

And if you have a home office (or just that corner in your apartment that has a desk with a computer and printer on it), almost everything you need is available...from Energy Star scanners to mailing machines (Check out the complete list of Energy Star office equipment.). In just one year, Energy Star qualified new home office equipment significantly reduced the demand for energy — enough to prevent the release of 19 billion pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

All you have to do is look for the energy star label when you are shopping for appliances. The energy star label and energy guide will help you purchase a more energy efficient appliance, saving you money in energy costs. According to the energy star website, If just one in 10 homes used Energy Star qualified appliances, the change would be like planting 1.7 million new acres of trees.

If you want to get a sense of how energy efficient your house is you can get a free assessment online from Energy Star with their home energy audit from a specialy trained contractor who can show you how to improve the energy efficency of your home.

Some of these energy star appliances, cars and green home improvments offer a tax credit which you can research more to see if you qualify. They are even building energy star homes now! Wow! Check out builders or existing energy effiecient homes in your area.

So whether you're getting married, you're getting an even bigger plasma (yes, there are Energy Star Plasmas) or the computer you've had since college finally conked out on you....remember to look out for the big blue star...