Going Green Has Never Been Easier!
May 18, 2009 8:51 pm US/Eastern
Gov. Crist Signs Energy-Efficient Rebate Bill
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Front-loading washers and dryers are more expensive than top-loading machines, but save water, energy, time and money.
CBS
The Sunshine State will begin offering rebates on energy-efficient appliances under a bill Governor Charlie Crist signed into law Monday. The bill is an attempt to make the state more environmentally-friendly.
The bill gives rebates on energy-efficient washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers. Governor Crist's office said consumers could save up to 20 percent per appliance, though the exactly details of the program were not immediately released.
"This rebate program will help Floridians buy appliances at discount rates, lower utility costs and benefit Florida businesses by stimulating sales of energy-efficient appliances," Crist said in a news release after signing the bill in Orlando.
The bill's sponsor said at least $18 million in federal stimulus funds would go toward the program. The Legislature also allocated $150,000 to the Florida Energy and Climate Commission, which will implement the rebate program.
An energy-efficient washing machine costs about $1,000, compared with about $575 for a traditional machine, but it saves about $600 in water and energy costs over its life span, according to data from the Federal Energy Management Program.
Maribel Balbin, water use efficiency manager for Miami-Dade County, said a similar rebate program in the county was so popular that funding couldn't meet the demand. It was canceled in its second year.
The first year, she planned for 150 rebates of $200 each and received more than 800 applications. With just the local funding, the program had to be canceled.
Deborah Linares, an accountant for the county's water and sewer department, participated in that rebate program about six months ago. She was planning to buy an energy-efficient washer anyway, she said, but the $150 rebate she got was a nice surprise.
"I was thrilled," she said. "I did make sure that since I was getting one, I would get one that was part of the program."
Linares said she saved more on water than she did on her electric bill, but her energy bill hadn't gone up.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Eating Green And A Healthful Diet
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