Since being created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992, the Energy Star program and its partners have helped save Americans nearly $230 billion through increased energy efficiency of appliances and electronics. More than five billion products from more than 60 different categories have been sold under the voluntary program. According to EPA’s March press release, these products have collectively prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted.
Over the past few years, the Energy Star label has become extremely recognizable. An Energy Star Survey shows that 43 percent of all households knowingly purchased an Energy Star-labeled product in the past year (most recent data is from 2010). It also states that in 2010, 84 percent of households had at least a basic understanding that the label, with a vast majority of them (73 percent) having a “high understanding.” This compares with just 40 percent of U.S. households being aware of the label in 2000. Most consumers also indicated they would be extremely or very likely to recommend an Energy Star product to a friend. On a scale of one to ten, 69 percent of respondents marked “eight” or higher for this question.
An award ceremony was also a part of Energy Star’s twentieth anniversary. The highest honor, for Corporate Commitment, was given to Sears, which had displayed superior commitment to energy efficiency since the start of the Energy Star program. The Sustained Excellence award went to 57 companies, including Food Lion, GE Appliances & Lighting, Nissan of North America, and PepsiCo. The Partner of the Year award went to 36 organizations for promoting Energy Star products and adopting more efficient practices. Recipients of this award included General Motors Company, The Boeing Company, Staples, and Samsung Electronics Co. Several companies, including Design Tech Homes, Sharp Electronics Corp., and DIRECTV, were also awarded for technological innovations that promote energy efficiency.
