During this holiday season, before you buy someone a new pair of socks or another coffee tumbler they’ll only place with the other dozen tumblers from past holiday seasons, consider giving the gift of energy efficiency. It’s a gift of savings for friends and family they can realize not only during the holiday season but for the whole year when they use these items.
Light Strings
What is the holiday season without festive colorful lights? If you’re buying new light strings to decorate your house, consider ENERGY STAR certified LED light strings. They not only save energy and help to reduce your energy bills, but they also help to protect the environment — that’s a gift our planet will really appreciate. A decorative light string that has earned the ENERGY STAR uses approximately 70% less energy than an incandescent light string. And because ENERGY STAR certified LED light strings are cool to the touch, they reduce the risk of fire and anyone burning their fingers.
Energy Efficient Showerhead
A gift of an energy efficient showerhead will allow the receiver to enjoy a shower knowing they’re also saving on water and energy. The EPA estimates that almost 17% of the water consumed in the average household is used while showering. They also estimate an average family could save 2,900 gallons a year just by using a showerhead with the WaterSense label. Since there’s less demand on the water heater, that family also can save more than 370 kilowatt hours of electricity a year. This amounts to enough power for an average household for 13 days!
Light Bulbs
Looking for that item that is relatively inexpensive you can give to a long list of friends and family? Light bulbs are always appreciated, and ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs come along with energy savings. A single ENERGY STAR certified LED lightbulb lasts 15 times longer than a standard bulb with typical use and can save more than $50 in electricity costs over its lifetime. And antique Edison bulbs are ENERGY STAR certified -- everyone’s favorite with savings to boot! Use this mobile ENERGY STAR Light Guide to decide which ENERGY STAR certified bulb is right for each person on your shopping list. It’s easy to navigate and helpful in being creative with your selections.
Tablets
The holiday season is a perfect time for everyone to catch up on their latest streaming shows. Giving a tablet that is ENERGY STAR certified is a great gift because it uses four times less energy than streaming to a laptop and 15 times less than a desktop computer. Your friend or family member will think of you while they are streaming all night long, guilt free, knowing your tablet gift to them is not only entertaining them but saving on energy costs, also.
Digital Media Players
The gift of energy efficiency with an ENERGY STAR certified digital media player (DMP) is a perfect idea for those on your list who are always streaming on media devices. They employ the latest technology and are, on average, 40% more efficient than other standard models. And consider this: if all digital media players sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, the annual cost savings would grow to more than $200 million each year, and 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented. When added up, this is the equivalent to what 280,000 vehicles emit each year.
Smart Thermostats
Along with warm blankets and fuzzy sweaters that were gifted in holidays past, an ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat will also keep gift receivers comfortable this winter and will continue to save them on energy bills year-round.For the average American household, almost half of their annual energy bill goes toward heating and cooling. That amounts to more than $900 a year! If everyone used an ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat, savings would grow to 56 trillion BTUs of energy and $740 million dollars per year, offsetting 13 billion pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions. That’s a holiday gift for the planet and for those you care about.
Wireless Speakers
ENERGY STAR certified wireless speakers are the perfect gift for music lovers since they use, on average, 45% less energy and still deliver the latest in technology and audio quality. They provide all the functionality of standard products, but use less energy, reducing their impact on the environment.
When you choose ENERGY STAR certified electronics, appliances, and other products, your gift will have the latest features and save energy and money. It’s a gift that does a world of good for your loved ones and the planet. For more energy efficient gift ideas, check out the ENERGY STAR Holiday Gift Guide.