Fight Global Warming with Energy Star

What can you do to fight global warming as a single person, and will it make a difference? You can do quite a bit, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Change the World, Start with Energy Star” campaign. It all starts with little everyday decisions, one person at a time.

It can be as simple as switching to Energy Star-rated CFLs, purchasing energy-efficient appliances, programming your thermostat or powering down your computer when you aren’t using it. There is always something you can do to consciously conserve energy and the EPA, which has teamed up with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Parent Teacher Organizations Today, wants to show you how.

The campaign aims to fight global warming starting at home. Energy Star estimates that if every U.S. household joined the cause, we could prevent enough greenhouse gases each year that are the equivalent to the carbon emissions of 18 million cars, proving that every little change does make a difference. To date, the campaign has involved more than 2.3 million participants making eco-conscious choices, which has saved 6.37 billion pounds of carbon emissions from our environment, and 3.98 kWh since 2005.

The “Change the World, Start with Energy Star” campaign includes a traveling multimedia tour of the Energy Star Exhibit House, which shows off energy-efficient practices to get children and families across the country excited about cutting their energy use — and costs. Cities on the tour list are Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle and Boston. You can also take an online room-by-room tour of the Energy Star home to learn how you can save energy in your home through small changes every day.

Some of those useful, energy-saving tips from Energy Star include:

• Programmable thermostat (cost savings: $180/year)
• Energy-efficient light bulbs (cost savings: $70/year)
• Energy Star-qualified heating and cooling appliances (cost savings: $200/year)
• Properly sealed leaks and insulation (cost savings: $200/year)

To learn more about the campaign and how you can take the pledge to fight against global warming, please visit here.