Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Your Efforts Pay Off!
Energy Star® and other voluntary initiatives were responsible for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 2002 by 43 million tons. EPA said these reductions were the equivalent of eliminating emissions from 28 million automobiles.
EPA and the Department of Energy introduced Energy Star® in 1992 as a voluntary labeling program to identify and promote energy efficient products. A goal with this initiative is to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. By choosing products with the Energy Star® label, US consumers saved more than $7 billion in energy costs.
"From light bulbs to entire homes, people purchasing energy efficient products were able to protect the environment and save money," EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt said. "Our corporate partners, too, are demonstrating that helping the environment can help their bottom line."
EPA says that the Energy Star® program includes partnership with 1,250 manufactures in 35 product categories. President Bush has called for an expansion of the program to include other business sectors to include hotels, supermarkets, and health care facilities.
[From: BNAs Environmental Compliance Bulletin, Volume 10, Number 24, November 24, 2003]