Get ready; go! Georgians will have the opportunity to purchase qualified energy-efficient products with no state or local sales tax from Oct. 2-5. During the holiday, Georgia’s consumers will be exempt from paying the state and local sales tax on a broad range of products up to $1,500 marked with the ENERGY STAR® logo and purchased for personal use. Specifically, the sales tax exemption applies to ENERGY STAR®-qualified dishwashers, clothes washers, room air conditioners, ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light bulbs, dehumidifiers, programmable thermostats, refrigerators, doors and windows.

Merchandise that qualifies for the ENERGY STAR® label meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Products labeled with the ENERGY STAR® are among the most efficient on the market and help consumers save energy, save money on energy bills and protect the environment.

Do you know how much ENERGY STAR®-qualified products can save?

• A refrigerator uses less energy than a 75-watt light bulb and can save you up to $60 per year on your energy bill when compared to refrigerators produced before 1993.

• A dishwasher uses 25 percent less energy than models without the label and can lower your utility bills by as much as $25 a year.

• A clothes washer can save up to $55 per year on your energy bill and conserve enough water to do an additional 300 loads of laundry when compared to models produced before 1993.

• A compact fluorescent light bulb uses 68 percent less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and lasts 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt compact florescent bulb can save you $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

Consumers who make energy-efficient choices can save up to 30 percent on their utility bills. The ENERGY STAR® label enables consumers to make energy-efficient choices without sacrificing features, style or comfort. Georgia’s sales tax holiday on ENERGY STAR® merchandise makes purchasing ENERGY STAR®-qualified products an even smarter choice. To learn more about what ENERGY STAR® is, and how the purchase of an energy-efficient appliance can save you energy and money while protecting the environment, visit the interactive ENERGY STAR @ Home tool at www.energystar.gov.

The best way to get started is do an inventory of your home to see what products/appliances you need to replace — just enjoy the savings!

Joan Mason, Sumter County Extension coordinator/Family and Consumer Science/University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. Contact her at 924-4476.