As we discussed in
last week’s heat pump primer, home energy consumption matters—more efficient appliances can lead to big reductions in emissions. An Energy Star–certified washing machine uses 20 percent less energy than an uncertified one. For certified dryers, it’s 30 percent less. Amazingly, an Energy Star refrigerator with the freezer on the top (the most energy-efficient fridge design) can require less energy than a 60-watt incandescent light bulb! Between its certification and related
rebate programs, Energy Star has saved 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, avoided more than $500 billion in energy costs, and kept more than 4 billion metric tons of polluting and planet-warming greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere.