Q: What does the Energy Star endorsement mean to me?

A: Energy Star is a federal program managed jointly by the EPA and the Department of Energy to identify, verify, and promote products (including entire homes) that save energy. While a terrific and legitimate gauge of a product's energy performance, the program does not delve into issues of the product's manufacturing, packaging, or transportation-all of which has environmental impact.

We suggest using the Energy Star standards as one measure (albeit a very good one) of a product's overall environmental performance and benefits.