If you need to buy a new fridge, freezer, washing machine, or dishwasher (or a clothes dryer or air-conditioner), look for the energy rating label and select the highest number of stars you can. An increase of one Energy Star indicates a 23% increase in efficiency. An appliance with more stars might cost you more at time of purchase, but running that appliance will use significantly less electricity and save you money in the long run.

Go to the energyrating website and look for "Compare Products".

A 42" screen uses three times as much energy as a 21" screen of the same type. Some 42" plasma TVs use around 1 kWh of electricity in 3 hours of use (enough to operate a small-medium fridge for 24 hours). However, TV technology is changing rapidly, and electricity consumption varies greatly for different models and screen types. If you are buying a new TV, you can find the ones with best efficiency at the energyrating website.

One component of our carbon footprint that might not be immediately obvious is the embedded energy hidden in the manufactured items we buy. Large quantities of electricity (and water) are required to manufacture metals, plastics, and clothing fabrics, for example, and to process these into finished products. If you buy good quality used items, you are reducing the carbon emissions associated with manufacturing new items, and preventing waste of the energy embedded in the used items.