Why go green? Not only are you protecting the environment, but you are also saving yourself a lot of money. Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, is one of the best sources of information on the topic of "going green". According to Energy Star's website, an entire kitchen outfitted with Energy Star qualified commercial food service equipment could save operators 285 Mbtu per year; that's about $2500 saved just on electricity and gas. You also save water. An Energy Star qualified steam cooker, for example, is 90% more water efficient than unqualified models. Think of your annual energy costs (x) and subtract over $2500 to it when you go green...

x - $2500 = your new "green" energy costs

What's not to like about that equation? It's more money in your pocket and a healthier environment for everyone.

Energy efficient equipment often costs a little more up front, but the equipment quickly pays the price difference in saved energy costs. Currently the Energy Star logo may be earned by commercial food service products in six categories: fryers, hot food holding cabinets, commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers, commercial steam cookers, commercial dishwashers (effective October 2007), and commercial ice makers (effective January 2008). Below, see the savings that Energy Star qualified products in each category can offer.

What can ENERGY STAR qualified hot food holding cabinets save me?
Each ENERGY STAR qualified hot food holding cabinet can save businesses 4,100 kWh annually, or an average of $280/year on utility bills.

What can ENERGY STAR qualified fryers save me?
Each ENERGY STAR qualified gas fryer can save businesses 28 MBtu annually, or average of $185/year on utility bills. Each ENERGY STAR qualified electric fryer can save 879 kWh annually, or an average of $60/year on utility bills.

What can ENERGY STAR labeled commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers save me?
ENERGY STAR labeled commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers are more energy efficient because they are designed with components such as ECM evaporator and condenser fan motors, hot gas anti-sweat heaters, or high-efficiency compressors, which will significantly reduce energy consumption and utility bills. Compared to standard models, ENERGY STAR labeled commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers can lead to energy savings of as much as 45% with a 1.3 year payback. By buying commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers, purchasers can expect to save $140 annually per refrigerator and $100 per freezer. Replacing all existing commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers in the US with ENERGY STAR labeled models would result in savings of almost $250 million per year, or roughly 25% of the energy consumed by models currently on the market - the equivalent of eliminating the emissions from 475,000 cars.

What can ENERGY STAR qualified steam cookers save me?
Each ENERGY STAR qualified electric steam cooker can save businesses 6,620 kWh annually, or an average of $450/year on utility bills. Each ENERGY STAR qualified gas steam cooker can save 124 MBtu annually, or an average of $820/year on utility bills.

In addition to saving energy, ENERGY STAR qualified steam cookers also save water — 90 percent or more when compared with standard steam cooker models (on average 2 gallons of water per hour for ENERGY STAR qualified steam cookers versus 25 to 35 gallons of water per hour for standard models).

What can ENERGY STAR qualified commercial dishwashers (coming Oct. 11, 2007) save me?
Each ENERGY STAR qualified commercial dishwasher can save businesses energy about 90 MBtus, and an average of $850/year on their energy bills. In addition, businesses can expect to save more than $200/year and 52,000 gallons/year due to reduced water usage.

What can ENERGY STAR qualified ice machines (coming Jan. 1, 2008) save me?
Each ENERGY STAR qualified commercial ice machine can save businesses energy about 1160 kWh annually, or an average of $100/year on utility bills. Besides energy, commercial ice machines also consume water during operation. By purchasing products that meet the new ENERGY STAR criteria, consumers can expect to save an additional $10/year and 2700 gallons/year due to reduced water usage.

The question now is why haven't you gone green?