EPA's New ENERGY STAR® PSA Shows Houses Pollute More Than Cars.


EPA's New ENERGY STAR® PSA Shows Houses Pollute More Than Cars By Bill Goodwill The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) new ENERGY STAR® public service announcement (PSA), which launches in May 2004, encourages the American public to look for the ENERGY STAR to help prevent the air pollution created when energy is generated for home use. Citing a little-known, but compelling fact—the energy we use in our home can create twice the greenhouse gas emissions as a car—the PSA explains the value of looking for the ENERGY STAR, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, to find products and get home improvement tips that will reduce the amount of energy required to run our homes. The campaign, which will include TV (:60, :30, and :15 versions), radio, and print PSAs in English and Spanish, encourages the public to visit www. energystar.gov to discover five steps to protect the environment from their home. If every household followed just one of those steps—replacing their five most frequently used lights with ENERGY STAR qualified ones—it would prevent one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases. ENERGY STAR is a voluntary program that began in 1992, when EPA first labeled office equipment meeting the government’s strict energy- efficiency guidelines. Today, ENERGY STAR qualified products are available in more than 40 product categories. In 2003 alone, Americans—with the help of ENERGY STAR— prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 18 million cars and saved enough energy to power 20 million homes, while saving themselves $9 billion in energy costs. The new ENERGY STAR PSA campaign follows EPA’s highly successful Change campaign, which was supported by nearly 400 broadcast and cable stations. FAST FACTS ON ENERGY STAR ENERGY STAR is a voluntary government-backed program that helps individuals and businesses prevent air pollution through energy efficiency. In 2003 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, prevented greenhouse gases equivalent to those of 18 million cars and saved enough energy to power 20 million homes, while saving $9 billion in energy costs. If every American household changed just the five most frequently used lights in their homes to ENERGY STAR qualified models, they would prevent one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases—the equivalent to those of 8 million cars annually. ENERGY STAR qualified products are available in more than 40 product categories, including lighting, heating and cooling equipment, home electronics, appliances, and even new homes. EPA offers five steps to help our homes help us all at www. energystar.gov or 1- 888- STAR- YES.