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Appliances
When you are choosing an appliance for your home you should start by following these guidelines:
- Don't buy appliances you don’t really need. Do you really need that second fridge? Can you think of a way to do without that fridge to save the cost of buying and running it and the environmental impact of its use, manufacture and disposal? Do you really need a clothes drier if you have access to a clothes line?
- Choose an appliance that is the right size for your needs. Larger models will use more energy and generate more greenhouse gases.
- Purchase the most efficient model available by choosing the highest energy rating. Appliances with lower ratings may be a little cheaper initially but they will cost you a lot more money to operate over their lifetime and have more environmental impact. Remember that for any appliance, the ongoing operating costs greatly exceed the original purchase price of an appliance.
See Choosing and Using Appliances for further guidance on choosing and using specific types of appliances.
Once you have purchased an appliance remember to turn if off when not in use, preferably at the power outlet. Many appliances continue to draw standby power when switched off, contributing up to ten percent of total household electricity use.
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