Take a look at your electric bill. The appliances in your home probably account for a small but not significant percentage of it. Except for the washer/dryer, all these appliances can be found in your university's cafeteria facilities, too--and there are always ways to save energy while using them. Here are just two ideas:
Clean the refrigerator's condenser every three months
Replace old, inefficient appliances with modern ones
If you opt to replace these appliances, you'll notice that, in the United States, all refrigerator, freezer and dishwashers are sold with yellow EnergyGuide labels to indicate their energy efficiency. These labels provide an estimated annual operating cost for the appliance and a guide to comparing it to other models.
Another label to help you identify energy-efficient appliances is the ENERGYSTARÒ label. Promoted by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the ENERGYSTARÒ is awarded only to appliances that exceed the minimum national efficiency standards by at least 20 percent. These standards have been in place since the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) of 1987 and are reviewed and updated periodically by the DOE.
In this section of the tour, you'll find out more about how you can implement energy-saving measures in your campus cafeterias. For additional information about ENERGYSTARÒ, click here:
www.energystar.gov