Efficient Appliances Can Help Cut Costs (NAPS)—Finding ways to re- duce utility bills and conserve the area’s natural resources is a top priority for people everywhere. Oo One solution that can have an immediate impact on a household’s bottom line is evaluating the energy efficiency of appliances in the kitchen and laundry room. These appliances—arefrigerator, dishwasher and clothes washer— ean account for up to 20 percent of a household’s monthly utility bill. “American families spend an estimated $140 billion each year on energy bills,” said Jill Abelson of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “If consumers use Energy Star qualified products, they could reduce annual costs by up to 80 percent while also reduc- This new Whirlpool washer, refrigerator, dishwasher and air purifier all meet the government's Energy Star guidelines. tional washers. This is a toploading machine that does not have an agitator, so it is gentle enough to wash delicate items such as wool, silk and cashmere Whirlpool, the world’s largest that might normally have to be taken to the dry cleaners. A newly revised Conquest refrigerator runs on less electricity than a 75 watt light bulb and a 900 Series dishwasher saves over 700 gallons of water per year. “Just by trading in an eight year-old appliance for these new Energy Star qualified appliances, you can save over 11,000 gallons of water per year and close to $200 on your utility bills,” said Jeff Cohen, vice president of the Whirlpool brand. “These appli- homeappliances, recently launched a new Energy Star qualified washer, refrigerator and dishwasher. These appliances not only save energy and water, but also rank as some of the company’s best performing appliances in its 90 yearhistory. The new Whirlpool washer with Calypso wash motion uses 50 percent less water and 66 percent less energy than conven- moneyback in your pockets.” Whirlpool.com also has a new feature that allows visitors to punch in their zip code and find out what rebates might be available from the utility providers in their area just for purchasing Energy Star qualified appliances. The site also has an appliance calculator that can help people figure out the potential savings over the lifetime of an appliance. ing water use andair pollution.” The Energy Star guidelines are set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA. Consumers ean identify these appliances by the government’s Energy Star logo being placed on the exterior of products at retail outlets. More than 30 million people in the U.S. are eligible for a rebate from their utility provider just for purchasing an Energy Star qualified applianee—these rebates range from $30 to $200. manufacturer of energy efficient ances pay for themselves and put
