Put Money Back in Your
Wallets! Buy Energy Efficient Appliances and Use Them Wisely
As the summer energy crunch nears, Flex
Your Power is launching an aggressive energy efficiency and
conservation campaign to encourage families and businesses
to think about the real cost of appliances.
“We are working with the ethnic press to ensure that
all Californians take home the financial savings of energy
efficiency,” said Walter McGuire, president of the state-funded
energy efficiency campaign Flex You Power. “The average
household can cut its current energy bill significantly by
switching to appliances with the Energy Star label, which
use less energy than standard appliances.”
Every appliance that uses electricity has two costs: the price
tag at purchase and the energy consumption reflected on your
electricity bill. Energy-efficient products may cost more
than inefficient models, but they quickly pay back the price
difference – and then some – through much lower
monthly bills. This adds up to hundreds of dollars in savings
every year.
Refrigerators offer the greatest opportunity for energy savings
since they use more electricity than any other household appliance,
about 18 percent of all electricity in a home. Replacing a
10-year-old refrigerator with a new Energy Star model reduces
bills by approximately $30 each year. Also, unplugging and
recycling an old second refrigerator or freezer will reduce
your energy bills. Visit Flex Your Power’s website or
check with your utility company to see if you are eligible
for cash rewards for recycling old refrigerators and freezers.
Save even more by taking advantage of rebate programs. For
instance, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) offers a rebate
of up to $75 on Energy Star clothes washers. Energy Star clothes
washers use 40% less water and 50% less energy than older
models, saving you up to $875 in energy and water bills over
the life of the machine.
Here are some purchasing tips when replacing your old energy
and money draining appliances: 1) check the yellow EnergyGuide
label to compare how much energy it takes to operate and estimate
the difference in annual operating cost between comparable
models; 2) look for Energy Star qualified models; 3) choose
a size that meets your household needs.
But it is not just what you use, it is how you use it. The
most efficient refrigerator can still waste energy if the
door is left open. Clothes washers are wasteful if they are
operated at full capacity with small loads. Likewise, dishwashers
without full loads mean you are wasting energy and water.
Filling up maximizes each use of your appliance.
Lastly, if you hear the Flex Your Power NOW! alert, your area
is using too much energy. Hold off using major appliances
like clothes washers until after 7 p.m. to reduce the strain
on peak energy supplies and transmission.
To learn more about how you can save money and energy at work
and at home, visit the Flex Your Power website at www.FYPower.org.
With more than 1,000 incentive and technical assistance programs,
Californians can find all kinds of opportunities to save money
and energy.
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