ENERGY STAR Day: The Power of the Little Blue Label

Ed. note: This is cross-posted on EPA Connect, the official blog of EPA's leadership. See the original post here.

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Let’s start with a few numbers:

$300 billion in savings. That’s how much consumers and businesses have saved on utility bills in the last 22 years because of the ENERGY STAR program.

Two billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions avoided, or the equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 420 million cars, over the last 22 years. Thanks to our little blue ENERGY STAR label, folks are doing their part to reduce their greenhouse emissions and combat climate change.

Since President Obama took office, ENERGY STAR has helped American consumers and businesses save over one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and approximately $110 billion on their utility bills.

That’s one powerful little label.

For more than 20 years, people across the country have looked to EPA’s ENERGY STAR program for guidance on how to save energy and money while protecting the environment. Today, on ENERGY STAR Day, we are celebrating the accomplishments of our program, and recognizing the important partnership between businesses, consumers, and the government to find commonsense ways to save money, fight climate change, and leave the world a better place for our kids.

Throughout October, the ENERGY STAR Community Service Tour, in partnership with private- and public-sector organizations, is working to improve the quality of life for families, children and our veterans through energy efficiency service projects, while inspiring folks to think about what they can do to make a difference through energy efficiency in their communities. Projects include an energy-saving makeover at the Edgewood, Maryland Boys and Girls Club, featuring energy-efficient lights that will save the club money on their electric bills; upgrades to appliances and other equipment a Denver Housing Authority building to increase the comfort of residents and save energy, water and money; and to wrap it all up, today, we are partnering with a non-profit housing facility for homeless veterans in Phoenix to celebrate an extensive energy efficiency upgrade that included ENERGY STAR­ certified lighting, appliances, insulation, weatherization and windows, plus upgraded HVAC equipment.

Here are a few things you can do now to spread the word about how your family and friends can save money and do their part to combat climate change through ENERGY STAR:

1. Share the video above on your social media sites and encourage your friends to RT.
2. Take the pledge to save energy through the My ENERGY STAR tool at energystar.gov.
3. Join our ENERGY STAR Twitter chat on October 29 at 2 p.m. by using the hashtag #ESPositiveEnergy for more information about what you can do to make a difference now and in the future.
4. Keep an eye out for that little blue label and switch to ENERGY STAR certified products.