The only place you’ll find EPEAT labeling is on computers—but not for long. The ever-growing environmental concern that is the television industry has—somewhat reluctantly—agreed to partcipate in the voluntary labeling system that has now become known as a valuable standard for desktops, laptops and monitors.

It’s not the first environmentally-geared rating system being applied to televisions, of course. Energy Star certification has not only been around for awhile, but has been consistently moving toward certified models requiring more significant energy savings over conventional models. Energy Star certification, however, only takes into account the energy efficiency of a television, whereas EPEAT for televisions will not measure energy use but instead assess the environmental impact that components like lead, mercury and chemical flame retardents will have. Televisions that contain lesser amounts of environmentally damaging materials will rank well.

Because current EPEAT labeling on a computer also means the product is Energy Star certified it’s possible that EPEAT labeling on TVs will also require Energy Star certification on that particular set, in which case the EPEAT label could become the primary label to look for when consumers seek out greener screens. Critics have expressed concern, however, about the more complicated labeling system that EPEAT uses, citing the simplicity of Energy Star certification as an easier way for shoppers to determine the best TV. Click here to read more

Powered by Bookmarkify™

When it comes to what’s on the air, America is tuning in–the average home has more televisions than people and each member is watching more than four hours a day–and we’re seeing it all bigger and brighter thanks to advances like flat-screens and HD. While all this viewing is a boost for the people of prime time, it’s hardly the best thing for the environment. Where we once bought 19-inch sets, we’ve upgraded to 40-something inch screens (and bigger). Not only do these TVs use more resources in their creation, they eat through electricity at a much higher level than older varieties, especially in homes that are “average” by Nielsen Rating Standards and have a television on for more than eight hours a day. One 47-inch television can go through almost 400 kWh in a year if on for four hours a day and that’s excluding other elements like DVD players or cable boxes.

But as of November 1, buyers can opt for televisions that meet the EPA’s new, more comprehensive energy-efficiency specification. These televisions will be up to 30 percent more energy efficient than conventional models and adhere to a higher standard than even the previous energy-efficiency system. What kind of change could made by consumers choosing these eco-friendly models? If everyone who bought a television this year selected an EPA Energy Star model we could save about $1 billion in energy costs annually and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be equal to that of about 1 million cars. Click here to read more

Powered by Bookmarkify™