Energy-Saving Gifts Keep on Giving

Washington, DC () - A great gift idea every year is a gift that saves energy and protects the environment.   Energy-saving appliances offer top performance, and they keep on giving all-year round with lower energy use and less impact on the environment.  Edison Electric Institute, on behalf of America’s electric utility companies, suggests the following energy-saving appliances and gadgets that will bring a smile to the face of even the most hard-to-shop-for person on your list:

• LCD TVs—Liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs offer a great picture, and on an inch-by-inch basis, they use up to three-times less power than a plasma TV.  Be sure to look for ENERGY STAR qualified TVs—they use about 30 percent less energy than standard units.
• Electronic Gear—The average home has about two TVs, a VCR, a DVD player,  computer, and three telephones.  Look for electronic products that carry the ENERGY STAR label.  They use as much as 60 percent less energy to perform their functions, while providing the same performance at the same price as less-efficient models.
• Appliances—Thinking about buying a new clothes washer or dryer, dishwasher or refrigerator this holiday?   Remember that it has two price tags: what you pay to buy it, and what you pay for the energy and water it uses.  ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10–50 percent less energy and water than standard models.  The money you save on your utility bills can more than make up for the cost of a more expensive but more efficient ENERGY STAR model.
• Programmable Thermostats—Great for the tech-lover, these thermostats can automatically raise or lower the house’s temperature setting according to their wishes.  This helps to save energy and money.  In fact, each degree the thermostat is lowered in the winter can save up to 3 percent on the heating bill.
• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs—CFLs, as they are called, last up to 10 times as long as a regular bulb and they use about two-thirds less electricity.  Buy a gift pack of four or more bulbs for real energy savings when replacing the regular incandescent light bulbs used most often.
• DIYers—For the do-it-yourselfers on your list, the following gift ideas will help them make their home more energy efficient all-year round:
  • Low-flow showerheads and faucets—These now come in many styles and can cut hot water use by between 5-10 percent.
  • Caulking and Weatherstripping—Sealing cracks around and between doors and windows can save 1 – 4 percent on heating costs.
  • Water heater blanket—On a cold winter day, nothing beats a warm blanket.  The old water heater thinks so too.  If the water heater’s tank is warm to the touch, a water heater blanket can save up to 5-10 percent on water heating costs.
  • Furnace or heat pump filters—Regularly (at least once a month, or at least one every three months with some advanced filters) cleaning/replacing the filter in the heat pump or furnace can cut heating and cooling costs by up to 15 percent.

“Your electric company has more ideas on energy efficient appliances and how to make homes more energy efficient,” said Diane Munns, EEI’s Executive Director of Retail Energy Services.  “They have free information, and many electric companies offer energy-saving programs, such as an online energy audit.  You can find out where your home or business might be wasting energy—right from your own computer.”

For more information about electric company efficiency programs and services, and a free booklet, “More than 100 Ways to Improve Your Electric Bill”, please visit www.getenergyactive.org.

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The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is the association of U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies. Our members serve 95 percent of the ultimate customers in the shareholder-owned segment of the industry, and represent approximately 70 percent of the U.S. electric power industry. We also have more than 65 International electric companies as Affiliate members, and more than 170 industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate members.