With DTV Transition Looming, Alliance to Save Energy Urges Consumers to Buy Only TVs with ENERGY STAR Label
The Alliance to Save Energy News
With DTV Transition Looming, Alliance to Save Energy Urges Consumers to Buy Only TVs with ENERGY STAR Label
Washington, DC, January 2009 — The countdown to the switch to digital television has begun, and with the new announcement that all of the available federal funding to help consumers with the purchase of digital converter boxes has been used up, the likely result is that even more consumers will be shopping for new TVs between now and February 17. As they shop, the Alliance to Save Energy urges consumers to look for the ENERGY STAR label, the federal government’s symbol of energy efficiency, when buying a new TV.
"As of November 1, 2008, ENERGY STAR TV requirements became more stringent. TVs that have earned the ENERGY STAR use less energy in BOTH the on and off (standby) modes, cost up to 30 percent less to operate than comparable non-ENERGY STAR models, and also create less air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions," notes Alliance President Kateri Callahan. "Smart choices can simultaneously benefit the pocketbook and planet."
Consumers today can find the ENERGY STAR on everything from standard TVs, to HD-ready TVs, to the largest flat-screen plasma TVs. Americans can ultimately save $1 billion each year on electricity bills just by opting for television sets that meet new ENERGY STAR specifications while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking about a million cars off the road annually, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
There are about 275 million TVs currently in use in the United States, reports EPA, consuming more than 50 billion kWh of energy annually — or 4 percent of all households' electricity use and enough electricity to power all the homes in New York State for an entire year.
"As consumers face a tough economy, they are looking for ways to maximize the value of their budgets and head off costly home energy bills this winter and beyond. One valuable tip: Ask for products that meet ENERGY STAR qualifications to cut related monthly and annual energy bills up to 30 percent in each of 50 product categories," encourages Callahan. Categories include such things as electronics, home office equipment, appliances, lighting, windows, and heating and air conditioning equipment.
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