Saving money is a major concern for many consumers, due to a major economic recession that has produced job insecurity and stagnant wages. At the same time, our reliance on fossil fuels to generate electricity has contributed to environmental concerns. When shopping for new appliances, it is more important than ever to look for the Energy Star label.
What is Energy Star?
Contrary to popular belief, Energy Star is not a company that manufactures or distributes appliances. Energy Star is a government program for identifying energy efficient appliances and homes, established in 1992 by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). An Energy Star label can be found on appliances that fall within acceptable ranges of energy efficiency. These appliances are tested and certified by third party labs, both before reaching appliance stores and randomly off store shelves throughout the year. This guarantees that the certifications are not biased either toward the government or the manufacturer.
Although the program is voluntary, it has grown substantially since its inception. In addition to energy savings, local electricity producers offer rebates on purchases of Energy Star appliances, which are automatically applied at purchase. Every major electronics store includes Energy Star appliances in its inventory. You need only look for the Energy Star label.
On the Energy Star label, you will find an efficiency rating that will range from least efficient to most efficient. Keep in mind that a "least efficient" rating on an Energy Star appliance means that it is still more energy efficient than appliances without the Energy Star label. Prices for Energy Star appliances are generally higher than those without the certification, with the most efficient models also the most expensive. However, this cost is more than offset by the energy savings you will receive over the lifetime of your appliance.
Additional benefits of Energy Star appliances
The environmental impact of energy production was the driving force for the development and implementation of the Energy Star program. Since then, its effectiveness has been documented. According to the EPA, the Energy Star program has saved over 239 billion dollars in consumers' energy bills, and prevented 1.9 billions metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from being produced.
Energy Star appliances also provide an additional benefit for your home. As consumers add increasingly more appliances to home electrical systems that are often not designed for such consumption, they create the probability of system overloads. Energy Star appliances at places like C M City Rentals are energy efficient not only in active mode, but also in sleep mode, so consumption is kept to more manageable levels.
Share22 January 2015
Having to place children's furniture in a small bedroom presented a problem for me. With two growing kids, I needed a dresser to accommodate both boys, as well as two beds. With two beds, desk and chair, toy chest and floor lamp, the room seemed overly crowded. My solution came with a highly functional bunk bed. Bunk beds take up minimal space. Better yet, my choice was a bunk that included a storage drawer. This compartment is used for storing the boys' small toys and other necessities. I didn't have to have a separate toy chest, so I reduced clutter which was great! When you have multiple children all in one room, you need all the help you can get!
