U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency

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EPA 430F-08-012 August 2008

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

ENERGY STAR 

QUALIFIED HOME ELECTRONICS

Home electronics products are responsible for approximately 

15 percent of household electricity use. Although they may be

turned off, many of these products still use electricity while they

are in “standby/off” power mode to maintain digital clocks,

displays, and other internal features.

ENERGY STAR qualified home electronics help lower 

electricity bills and energy use—saving energy, money, and 

the environment. 

HELP FIGHT 

GLOBAL WARMING

Electricity used in our homes predominantly comes from the

burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to

global warming. Simply put, using energy-efficient products and

practices in our homes helps fight global warming by reducing

these greenhouse gas emissions. 

If every TV, DVD, and home theatre system purchased in the

United States this year were ENERGY STAR qualified, Americans

could prevent more than 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gases,

equivalent to the emissions of 300,000 cars. 

E-CYCLING

Recycling is another simple step you can take to protect the

environment by reducing the amount of hazardous waste in our

landfills. When upgrading to new ENERGY STAR qualified home

electronics, take your old electronics to a state or local

collection program, charitable organization, or recycling

program that accepts used electronics. For more information on

how to safely recycle home electronics products, visit EPA’s

Plug-In To eCycling page at www.plugintoecycling.org.

50% Post-consumer Content)on Recycled Paper (Minimum with Vegetable Oil Based Inks Recycled/Recyclable—PrintedPenalty for Private Use $300Official BusinessWashington DC 204606202JProtection AgencyEnvironmental United States
WHAT IS ENERGY STAR®?

ENERGY STAR is a label that identifies products,

such as home electronics, which meet strict

energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Products that have earned the ENERGY STAR help

you save energy and money without sacrificing

performance. By using less energy, these products

also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions—

caused by the burning of fossil fuels at power

plants—that contribute to global warming.

More than 50 types of products, including home

electronics, office equipment, lighting, appliances,

and heating and cooling equipment can qualify for

the ENERGY STAR.

The ENERGY STAR program helps businesses and

individuals fight global warming through energyefficient products and practices.

Learn more at www.energystar.gov.

CHOOSE ENERGY STAR

QUALIFIED HOME ELECTRONICS

Home electronics that have earned the government’s ENERGY

STAR use up to 50 percent less energy to perform the same

functions as standard models—saving consumers money on

electricity bills and helping to fight global warming.

The average home has two televisions, three phones, and one

DVD player. Replacing these items with ENERGY STAR qualified

models would prevent 25 billion pounds of greenhouse gas

emissions—equivalent to those of more than 2 million cars.

Televisions

Televisions sold in the United States are typically larger, in use

more hours each day, and offer more vibrant pictures and

advanced features than ever before. Three factors influence the

increased amount of energy consumed by televisions: screen

size, resolution, and display technology. 

EPA’s ENERGY STAR specification for televisions establishes

stringent requirements for energy use. Televisions that earn the

ENERGY STAR are up to 30 percent more efficient than standard

models by saving energy while they are on and when they are off.

The new specification applies to all screen sizes and across a

wide array of the most popular television technologies, including

CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display), plasma, and

rear projection. 

Set-Top Boxes

Set-top boxes are products whose main function is to receive

television signals from cable, Internet, satellite, or over-the-air

systems and deliver them to a display and/or recording device

such as a digital video recorder (DVR). As of January 1, 2009, settop boxes that earn the ENERGY STAR must be 30 percent more

efficient than conventional models. If all set-top boxes sold in the

United States met ENERGY STAR requirements, the savings in

energy costs would be about $2 billion each year and greenhouse

gas emissions would be reduced by the equivalent of the

emissions from about 2.5 million vehicles.

Home Theater Systems

In many homes, the television is no longer a stand-alone

entertainment item. In order to get preferred content and

features, there are several components needed to create a

complete home theater system. With ENERGY STAR, home

theater experiences can be entertaining and energy efficient at

the same time. 

The typical home theater setup includes a television set with cable or

satellite connection, a DVD/CD player, a receiver, and two to eight

speakers. The ENERGY STAR can be found on many of the DVD and

audio products needed to build a home theater system that will

deliver the desired entertainment value and save money on energy

bills. ENERGY STAR also qualifies home theater “in-a-box” systems.

Cordless Phones

Cordless phones, answering machines, and combination units 

that have earned the ENERGY STAR perform much more 

efficiently than standard units by incorporating improved energy

performance features such as switch-mode power supplies and

“smart” chargers. 

External Power Adapters

Americans own, on average, five personal electronic devices.

External power adapters, also known as external power supplies, are

crucial to the operation of virtually all small electronic devices. Power

adapters convert high voltage AC electricity from the wall outlet to

the low voltage DC power used to charge electronic products, such

as MP3 players, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras,

camcorders, laptops, and cordless and mobile phones. ENERGY STAR

power adapters are up to 30 percent more efficient than standard

models and are often lighter and smaller, making them more

convenient for travel. 

Products that have an ENERGY

STAR qualified power adapter

are identified by this label on the

products’ packaging:

Tips to Save Energy

ENERGY STAR qualified home electronics products help you save

energy and money, while protecting the environment. You get all of

the features and content you desire, while using less energy. 

• Plug your electronics into a power strip with an on/off switch,

and turn off the power strip when you are not using the products.

This is the only way to ensure that the electronics are not 

using electricity.

• Unplug battery chargers or power adapters when equipment is

fully charged or not connected to the charger.

• Always look for the ENERGY STAR label when shopping for new

home electronics products. 

To locate a store near you that carries ENERGY STAR qualified

electronics, use our store locator at www.energystar.gov.

CHANGE THE WORLD

START WITH ENERGY STAR QUALIFIED HOME ELECTRONICS

Photos courtesy of Panasonic and Pioneer