Energy-efficient products—appliances, electronics and lighting—deliver the same or better performance as comparable models while using less energy and saving money on energy bills. In general, newer products are more efficient than older products, so simply replacing an old appliance or electronic device can reduce your energy use. Smart shoppers, however, look for the most energy-efficient products available, keeping the following in mind:

• Don’t buy more than you need. The larger or more powerful an appliance or other household product, the more energy it typically uses. Buy the right size product for you. When shopping for a new appliance, read the EnergyGuide label. This familiar, yellow-and-black label lists estimated energy consumption on a scale showing a range for similar models, and gives the estimated yearly operating cost of the appliance. This information will allow you to compare the energy efficiency of one appliance to  another.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR^® label. Identifying energy-efficient products is easy using ENERGY STAR®, a voluntary labeling program developed by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Products with the ENERGY STAR label meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines set by the federal government. The ENERGY STAR label is on more than 40 categories of products for the home and office, including appliances, electronics, lighting and windows.

Buying energy-efficient products will help you use less energy and save money. According to ENERGY STAR, using energy-efficient products can reduce your energy bill by up to one-third.