Free Essay on Energy Star Appliances

Energy star appliances are those electrical gadgets that use clean energy and are efficient and environmentally friendly in their use. They include; heaters, refrigerators, freezers, cloth washers, dish washers et cetera. Every appliance is composed of two costs; the initial cost of buying and the cost of operation and maintenance (Datta & Gulati, 2014). Furthermore, all appliances need energy to operate. However, whereas standard appliances use environmentally polluting energy, energy star appliances use clean energy to operate. Thus, the difference between the two is based on their pollutant effect, efficiency and costs. This essay will focus on a refrigerator as a perfect example of an energy star appliance.

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The energy star refrigerators use less energy than the standard refrigerators sold in the earlier days. According to Datta & Gulati (2014), they consume an average energy of 40% less than the other conventional models. Furthermore, these specialized refrigerators use only 90% of the energy that is used by other conventional refrigerators and below what is permitted in law. Additionally, these refrigerators have been stocked with specialized features which include highly efficient compressors, compact insulation, accurate and precise temperatures as well as modern mechanisms for warming the inside of the refrigerator (defrost mechanisms).

Energy star refrigerators need a lot of caution when using them. One has to leave enough space between the machine and the wall so that air circulation can be free and plenty. This air is very important for the efficient operations of the freezer coils of the refrigerator. Consequently, when one fails to adhere to these instructions, the appliance may develop some defects which may make it to malfunction. Besides, the repair of the energy star refrigerators will require some amount of money.

The refrigerator is hugely crowded with advantages and benefits. Firstly, it reduces the cost of energy in that it uses 40% less energy than other models. Additionally it is also more convenient than the others. The special features that the refrigerator contains make it stand out from the rest of the conventional appliances. Although the issue of cost comparison between the energy star models and conventional methods is just a matter of perspective, it has been proven that the efficiency outweighs the cost. The initial cost of buying a conventional refrigerator might seem cheaper than the energy star one but the cost of pollution, repair and inconvenience is much more. Thus the energy star refrigerator is by far more efficient and hence less costly in the long run (Geller et al, 2006).

The last and most fundamental aspect of the energy is that it is environmentally friendly. All energy star appliances use clean energy mainly electricity. By so doing, they reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 99%. Other appliances which are not energy star release a lot of carbon monoxide which is responsible for global warming (Geller et al, 2006). Subsequently, increased global warming leads to climate change. Thus, by using clean energy, the energy star appliances reduce the fossil fuel emissions released to the atmosphere.

In conclusion, the role of energy star appliances in reducing environmental pollution is huge and proven. The energy star refrigerator is an example of how efficient, cheap and friendly energy star appliances. Climate change is increasingly being caused by human activity. These activities are in most cases the use of oil related products which are detrimental to the environment. If the world was to use energy star appliances, the issue of climate change will be a thing of the past.

References

Anenberg, S. C., Shindell, D., Amann, M., Faluvegi, G., Klimont, Z., Janssens-Maenhout, G., ... & West, J. J. (2012). Global air quality and health co-benefits of mitigating near-term climate change through methane and black carbon emission controls.

Datta, S., & Gulati, S. (2014). Utility rebates for ENERGY STAR appliances: Are they effective?. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management,68(3), 480-506.

Geller, H., Harrington, P., Rosenfeld, A. H., Tanishima, S., & Unander, F. (2006). Polices for increasing energy efficiency: Thirty years of experience in OECD countries. Energy policy, 34(5), 556-573.