This is the fourth in a series of five articles that help you find ways to reduce your carbon footprint. We consider the main carbon culprits in the average American’s lifestyle.

When Americans overcompensated for the shortages during World War II in a burst of post-war spending, an appliance-filled kitchen became a worldwide aspirational symbol of American wealth and consumer culture. Today, those appliances are considered necessities rather than luxury goods, but they remain major contributors to household carbon emissions.

Recent research indicates that appliances account for 39% of all energy-related CO2 emissions globally, making them a key focus for climate action. If you are considering a new appliance, take these research-backed steps to choose wisely for the planet and your family.

Carbon Footprints

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere by a particular activity is known as its carbon footprint. Carbon dioxide emissions are a leading cause of climate change, so carbon footprints serve as a helpful shorthand for environmental impact.

There are many ways to calculate your family’s overall carbon footprint, which can be higher or lower depending on the number of people in your household, the size of your house, how much and how you travel, and myriad other decisions you make throughout the year. On average, each American generates 18.55 tons of CO2 emissions each year, which is 3.5 times the global average of 5.3 tons.

Transportation remains the largest component of most households’ carbon footprint, followed by the goods and services people purchase. After that, people’s homes contribute the most carbon to the atmosphere: 17% through heating and cooling, and 15% from the energy used by everything else in the home.

Energy’s 15% share of household emissions powers our appliances and electronics, and recent studies show it’s an area where we have considerable room for improvement. Recent research indicates that residential electricity consumption is increasing, accounting for approximately one-fifth of U.S. energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, with a substantial portion attributed to major home appliances.

Good: Smart Usage and Easy Swaps

Start with the easiest changes. Most people have already made the switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Switching from incandescent to LED saves an average household more than $200 per year.

How you use your appliances can make them more efficient. Turn off the lights – and the TV – when you leave the room. Unplug electronics when you’re not using them, too. Vampire power, the energy an appliance uses when it’s turned off, adds up to more than $100 a year in wasted spending. Do you need the TV to be powered all day long? It’s not like the clock was set to the correct time anyway.

There are lots of ways to make your refrigerator more efficient, from how you fill it to where you place it. University of Michigan research shows that refrigerators are responsible for an average of 686 lbs CO2e per household annually, making optimization crucial. Laundry hacks include running full loads with cold water—switching to a cold water wash once per week can reduce household GHG emissions by over 70 lbs annually—and using tennis balls or wool dryer balls to shorten drying cycles.

Smart technologies and some small appliances can help you make your home less wasteful. But most of us have bought appliances we didn’t need.

Save money and resources by resisting the urge to buy unnecessary appliances. Will that bread machine, seltzer maker, or electric toothbrush truly make your life easier? Or does it just increase your electricity consumption? Ask yourself these questions when the Best Buy salesperson pitches you on the latest technology.

Better: Strategic Appliance Choices

Start your path to doing better by redefining your ideas about what is “necessary.” In Europe and Asia, clothes dryers are considered superfluous. Find ways to boost your food security without putting an extra freezer in your garage – like canning and gardening. However, don’t get carried away – a modern, energy-efficient dishwasher can use less water and energy than hand-washing dishes.

Buy the most efficient models of whatever you need. Instead of using coffee pods, opt for a regular coffee maker or consider a French press. Don’t forget the energy your electronics use, too. Laptops use less energy than desktop computers, and there are now Energy Star models of most tech devices. There are no truly sustainable electronics yet, but when shopping for routers, smartphones, and stealth electronics, don’t forget to consider efficiency, repairability, and recyclability.

Although new appliances are more efficient than their old counterparts, manufacturing also generates a significant amount of CO2. Before you buy, ensure that the efficiencies justify the upgrade.

Even the best among us are unlikely to eschew technology altogether, but if you are willing to make some lifestyle adjustments, consider switching to low-tech home appliances, such as foot-powered washing machines, solar cookers, and hand-cranked kitchen tools.

Heat Pumps Cut Emissions

The most significant breakthrough in home heating and cooling comes from heat pumps. Current models are 3-5 times more energy-efficient than gas boilers, and recent research shows that they reduce emissions across their lifetime by up to 93% compared to gas furnaces.

Importantly, heat pumps reduce carbon emissions in 98% of U.S. houses, even when powered by electricity generated from fossil fuels. A 2024 study found that heat pumps can reduce household annual energy emissions by 36% to 64%, equivalent to preventing 2.5 to 4.4 metric tons of CO2 per year per housing unit.

Ground-source heat pumps can be up to five times more efficient than gas furnaces, unlocking even greater greenhouse gas reductions. Modern heat pumps work effectively in cold climates. Some models deliver 100% heating at 5°F and 70-80% heating at -10°F.

Induction Cooking: Triple the Efficiency

In the kitchen, induction cooking represents a significant advancement. Induction appliances can be up to three times as efficient as their gas counterparts and 10% more efficient than traditional electric appliances. A recent study reports that induction cooking uses half as much energy as gas, produces no nitrogen oxides, and significantly reduces ultrafine particles and CO2 emissions.

A Stanford University study revealed that the annual emissions from methane leaks in gas stoves have a similar climate impact as the yearly CO2 emissions from half a million cars. Induction eliminates these leaks while offering faster cooking times and better control, according to Consumer Reports.

Energy Star Under Threat: Industry and Congress Push Back

Making the biggest difference means purchasing the most efficient models of the appliances you need. Energy-efficient appliances use as little as half the energy as their predecessors. Modern, efficient refrigerators and dishwashers use 50% less energy than models from just a decade ago.

The Energy Star program, which helps American families save over $40 billion in annual energy costs in return for just $32 million in federal investment, faces elimination under the Trump Administration. The EPA announced plans in May 2025 to discontinue Energy Star as part of its efforts to dissolve the Office of Atmospheric Protection.

This decision has triggered unprecedented bipartisan pushback. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told CNN she was “baffled” by the decision, stating, “I know that my constituents like knowing what the energy usage is of a particular appliance so that they can factor that into their buying decisions.” The program has historically enjoyed modest bipartisan support, with Collins noting its near-universal support from manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.

Industry groups have mobilized against the elimination. In March 2025, nearly three dozen trade industry groups and appliance companies, including the Chamber of Commerce, Bosch, and Carrier, sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin urging the preservation of the program. More than 30 leading organizations have continued lobbying Congress to save the program, emphasizing that Energy Star delivers hundreds of billions in energy savings.

First funded by a Republican-controlled Congress in 2005, it may not be legally possible to eliminate Energy Star without new congressional action. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers has suggested transferring the program to the Department of Energy (DOE) as a compromise.

For now, look for Energy Star certification, which can save your household up to $300 annually on utility bills. The program has helped consumers save more than $500 billion since 1992 and prevented 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Low-Tech and Net-Zero Solutions

Solar water heating systems remain an excellent investment that can significantly reduce your home’s energy use. Solar water pumps and solar-powered appliances can help achieve climate resilience while reducing dependence on grid electricity.

For the energy your home still uses, signing up for green energy and purchasing carbon offsets can help reduce the impact of the electricity you draw from the grid. Recent research indicates that as the electrical grid becomes cleaner, electric appliances become even more beneficial for the climate. In the most aggressive decarbonization scenarios, appliances could be powered by 95% carbon-free electricity by 2035.

New Research: Grid Integration and Future Potential

Emerging research highlights the role appliances can play in supporting grid stability. Smart appliances can communicate with the grid to adjust energy usage during peak demand times, helping avoid overloading and reducing the need for fossil-fuel-powered peaker plants.

A 2024 study on geothermal heat pumps found that mass deployment could relieve stress on the power grid while substantially reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The research indicates that in cold climates, heat pumps are particularly effective at reducing both carbon emissions and energy consumption.

If you’re willing to make really big changes, you can achieve net-zero energy use at home by installing photovoltaic cells, an inverter, and a battery. However, the financial incentives for doing so face significant uncertainty under the current administration.

Act to Protect Energy Tax Credits

The future of clean energy tax credits is now unclear. The House passed measures in May 2025 that would eliminate the 30% solar tax credit for homeowner systems at the end of 2025, though this faces Senate consideration. Despite the savings provided by energy upgrades, the Trump Administration has called for repealing the “misnamed Inflation Reduction Act,” which provides these incentives.

While a complete repeal remains unlikely due to bipartisan support in Congress, particularly from Republican lawmakers in states that benefit from clean energy investments, various credits may be phased out earlier than originally planned. Projects installed and completed in 2025 should still qualify for existing credits, but the long-term outlook is uncertain.

The latest research makes clear that appliances are essential to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. With new energy-efficient models that can use half the energy of their predecessors now widely available, strategic appliance choices represent one of the most impactful ways households can reduce their carbon footprint while often saving money over time.

Read part five of this series: Good, Better, Best: Cutting Carbon From Your Diet

Editor’s Note: Originally published on May 28, 2020, this article was substantially updated in June 2025.