WASHINGTON, DC — Amidst a backdrop of soaring energy prices and electricity reliability problems as Earth Day 2001 dawns April 22, the Alliance to Save Energy offers consumers tips on how to “earn” money by investing in energy-efficiency improvements in their homes and simultaneously reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

One tip is that, when shopping for heating and cooling equipment, appliances, and other home products, select those bearing the Energy Star label to cut related annual energy expenditures by 30%.

A programmable thermostat is recommended to automatically coordinate home temperature with the consumer’s daily and weekend patterns to increase comfort and monetary savings.

To see what energy upgrades would have the biggest payoff, log onto the interactive Home Energy Checkup on the alliance’s website, www.ase.org/ checkup/home.

Publication date: 04/09/2001