Appliances & Electronics

How to save energy on appliances & electronics

Cut the energy used by your appliances and electronics by following a few small and easy steps.

Upgrade to a ENERGY STAR®-certified refrigerator if your fridge is more than 10 years old and you’ll use half the energy.
Wash laundry using cold water.
Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load.
Use the air dry cycle on your dishwasher.
Reduce use of your oven - cook more often with microwaves, toaster ovens, and crockpots.

Unplug devices when not in use. Electronics, such as televisions, use up to 10 watts of energy when they're off and still plugged in.
Use a power strip to plug in electronics and turn off the power strip when not in use.
Purchase ENERGY STAR®-certified home electronics, which use less power than other models.
Limit unnecessary use of video game consoles, which use a lot of power.
Shut down your computer if you're going to be away for more than 2 hours.
Don't use screen savers.
If you’re buying a new computer, consider a laptop since they use about 90% less energy than a desktop.
Buy ENERGY STAR®-certified computers, which meet efficiency guidelines in three operating modes: active, standby, and sleep.
If you have an old computer – increase the RAM and replace the hard drive and video card to decrease energy use.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that cooking accounts for 4.5 percent of your energy bill.

Electric cooking – induction burner, slow cooker, air fryer, toasters – can reduce energy use, while helping you cook food faster and better.