For example, I own a plasma television that carries the Energy Star label but this doesn’t in any way mean that it’s a low-carbon or environmentally friendly appliance.

For televisions, the Energy Star label simply means that the TV saves energy both in standby and active (when they’re on) modes –compared to a typical television set (this is what is used to set the standard). Energy Star qualified TVs use about 30% less energy than standard units, but it doesn’t mean they’re energy misers.

Specific to my case, our plasma television can use up to 300 watts at high volume levels (and depending on what’s being rendered on-screen), but typically it consumes about 200 watts, which you can track using a simple $25 in-line power meter. Yes, the television ‘can’ be a big consumer of electricity, but the real impact comes down to how much you watch TV and where you get your electricity from.

So, does the plasma TV deserve the Energy Star label? Sure, because Energy Star labels don’t guarantee that a product is a low-carbon appliance; the Energy Star label simply means that the appliance has met some sort of standard for being better than the status quo. You should not use the Energy Star label to make an assumption as to the environmental friendliness of a product. Always look at the actual power ratings of a product.

As it relates to CFLs, the Energy Star specification for labeling is now requiring that manufacturers print kelvin color temperatures, as well as total wattage use. These lamps can also be tested using the same $25 in-line power meter I mentioned earlier. I have used this and found the N:Vision lamps to use the exact wattage claimed by the manufacturer.

So, in the case of CFLs, the Energy Star label is being used to help standardize what information is made available to consumers. It’s still the responsibility of the consumer to understand how much power any product uses, and if you’re skeptical, get your hands on a power meter and test it for yourself.

Bottom line: never assume anything on a label to be an indicator of its environmental impact. An electric appliance is only as environmentally friendly as the methods used to create it, dispose and recycle it, and power it –combined with the source of the electricity used to power it and the responsible use of said product by the consumer.

The Energy Star label helps make more educated decisions, but it’s not an end-all solution.

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