A Floor Lamp

Let's face it: Everyone today is concerned about the environment and cutting our energy consumption. One simple way to cut energy consumption - and costs - is with energy-efficient lighting options.

When embarking on home renovations, it's important to consider energy-efficient choices that add beauty and preserve our environment. But you shouldn't have to sacrifice beauty for conservation. Today's modern amenities can offer both style and savings.

But how do you find energy-saving or energy-efficient options for your home? Where do you begin to look for new technologies that will enhance your lifestyle without costing you a bundle?

Start with online research or at your local home-renovation outlet. Browse through their aisles and notice all the items bearing the ENERGY STAR logo, the familiar blue rectangle with the white script lettering and white-outlined star. You'll find it on everything from low energy-consumption LED lighting options to major appliances! Every product with the logo is an approved energy-saving device that meets stringent federal energy-ratings criteria.

With ENERGY STAR-rated products in your home, you can significantly lower your energy bills while helping to save our planet. A federally supported joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR promotes the development and use of energy-efficient products. In 2007 alone, Americans saved $16 billion in energy costs and an overwhelming 27 million cars' worth of greenhouse-gas emissions - simply by using ENERGY STAR-rated products in their businesses and homes.

Started in 1992 as a voluntary EPA labeling program, ENERGY STAR has become one of the most widely recognized designations consumers look for in shopping for energy-efficient products. Computer monitors and CPUs were the first products to be labeled with the logo.

Over the following three years, other office machines earned ENERGY STAR ratings, along with residential heating and cooling equipment. In 1996, the Department of Energy came on board, enabling the addition of dozens of new categories of ENERGY STAR-rated products. These include lighting, home electronics, major appliances, office equipment and more. Now encompassing more than 50 separate product categories, the ENERGY STAR label has even been expanded to include new residential and business/industrial construction.

ENERGY STAR products perform as well as (or better than) comparable items without the ENERGY STAR logo - plus they cost less to run and incur a lesser impact on the environment. In much the same way your parents or grandparents trusted the Underwriters' Laboratories (U-L) logo in years past, the ENERGY STAR logo is one of the most well-known and trusted symbols in today's consumer marketplace.

When looking for new products for your home, trust the ENERGY STAR and save about a third on your energy bills - without having to sacrifice comfort or desirable features. Those products that wear the ENERGY STAR meet stringent energy-efficiency guidelines established by the Department of Energy and the EPA. And when considering renovations, improvements or upgrades, go green by choosing ENERGY STAR merchandise, tools and resources to complete the project.

An energy-efficient ceiling fan is an excellent - and low-cost - money saver! With a small initial investment, you can cut your energy bills by knowing how to efficiently run the fan in hot and cold weather. During the warmer months, run the fan counterclockwise; in colder months, reverse the motor and run the fan (clockwise) on a low speed to force the warm air near the ceiling down into the room. And don't forget to adjust your thermostat to account for the extra heat.

For more energy-saving tips (and an excellent source of ENERGY STAR lighting options for your home or business) visit Illumenate - www.illumenate.com. They've got long-lasting LED and compact fluorescent bulbs for every room in your home plus a broad range of energy-efficient ceiling fans and energy-saving lighting fixtures. With more than 30 years in the business, this family-owned company has built a solid reputation on delivering great value, personal service and dependable advice. When it comes to lighting, trust Illumenate for your energy-efficient home or office installation or upgrade needs.