For decades, Americans have been urged to conserve energy.  Concerns about the effects of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, volatile energy costs, and the impact of fossil fuel emissions on the environment have made energy consumers receptive to the idea of conservation, but a majority of Americans have neither the time nor the technical expertise to choose the most energy-efficient products for their homes and businesses.  Fortunately, the Energy Star program is available to help consumers make smart energy choices.

 The Energy Star program is a government/industry partnership that started in 1992 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began a voluntary labeling program to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Today, the Energy Star label is on major appliances, office equipment, lighting, home electronics, as well as on new homes and commercial and industrial buildings.     

 To educate consumers about Energy Star products and to promote a national awareness campaign on ways Americans can make their homes and businesses more energy-efficient, each year the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development host the Energy Star Change the World, Start With Energy Star campaign. 

 Through the campaign, Americans are urged to save energy in their homes, starting with one simple action: changing a light bulb.  Households should replace one light bulb in their home with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) that has earned the Energy Star label.  CFL light bulbs last up to 10 times longer than standard lights and use about 75% less energy.  It is an inexpensive, cost effective method to reducing energy costs.  If every household in Missouri installed one Energy Star qualified CFL light bulb, the amount of energy saved would reduce household electrical bills by combined total of $8.7 million a year.

 Over the years, I have worked in Congress to support the ideals of Energy Star to develop innovative methods to address our energy needs.  Most recently, I supported and the House of Representatives approved measures that would lead our country on a path toward energy independence and lower energy prices.  The 110th Congress also approved measures that would ensure America’s energy security and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. 

 At a time of volatile energy prices, strained generating capacity, precarious international supply, and uncertain climate shifts, America’s energy security is more important than ever.  The Energy Star campaign provides one of the quickest and most effective ways for every American to reduce their energy use.  To learn more about the Energy Star program, including tips on choosing energy efficient products and improving energy efficiency at home and at work, visit the Energy Star website.

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