Are they really energy efficient?

For my experiment I proposed that you could set up two identical rooms. Room one would be equipped with normal products, or those not claiming to be energy efficient. In Room 2 you would match it with the same standard products bought for the first room except this time make sure they were all energy efficient. Then in each room you could perform the same tasks. For example if the dryer was used in one room you would run the dryer in the other room under the same conditions. For the next 24 hours you could then monitor each room’s energy usage.

Energy Star, is a government-backed program promoting superior energy efficiency.

Energy Star labels only high-efficient appliances with its Energy Star logo.

With Energy Star labeled appliances (the most efficient you can buy), you can save up to 30 percent or more than $400 per year on your energy bills.

The Department of Energy requires all major home appliances to be tested for energy efficiency as part of their Appliance Standards Program. Manufacturers are required to display the results of many appliances using the EnergyGuide label. This yellow label gives an estimate of the amount of energy an appliance will use and shows a comparison of similar products and their energy use. And to make things even easier, the label will tell you how much it'll cost to run the appliance.

According to consumer reports “The U.S. Department of Energy now requires washers to use 21 percent less energy.Government Agencies are also

requiring restrictions on Air conditioning units. The new nationwide rules require non-ozone-depleting refrigerants due for 2010.

The average American home has 30 light fixtures that together consume close to $200 worth of electricity every year. Replacing just five incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs in high-use fixtures (lights that are turned on more than three hours a day) saves approximately $30 a year.

Not All Energy Savers have to be new Appliances!!

They use 2/3 less energy than standard bulbs and can save $20 to $30 per bulb in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

Compare 750-1,000 hours for a standard bulb to 6,000-12,000 hours for a CFL.

Today’s models include built in energy-saving programs designed to cut heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent by automatically raising or lowering the temperature 5-19 degrees at night and when you are away.

Prices range anywhere from $50 to $300.

A typical programmable thermostat with its default program can save up to 30% on your heating and AC bills.

Refrigerators today use about half of the energy that they used in 1990.

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR CFL, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.

North America uses 914 million megawatt hours of electricity every year.

The typical household spends $1,400 a year on energy bills.