ENERGY STAR Campaign Pledge
- Ford Motor Company kicks off national pledge drive in support of the EPA's "Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR" campaign; aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14 million pounds through personal energy-saving actions
- More than $18 billion in annual energy costs could be realized if every American household took part in the pledge
- Ford has earned the EPA's coveted ENERGY STAR Award four years in a row and has improved energy efficiency in its U.S. facilities by nearly 35 percent – equivalent to the annual energy consumed by more than 150,000 homes – since 2000
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 5, 2009 – As part of its commitment to environmental sustainability, Ford Motor Company is urging its employees and customers to join the effort by reducing their personal energy use and cutting their CO2 footprints. Individuals can help by pledging their support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR" campaign.
Each ENERGY STAR Pledge can help Ford meet or exceed its pledge goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 14 million pounds. The ENERGY STAR Pledge includes small, individual energy-saving actions that collectively can make a difference. They include:
- Changing incandescent light bulbs to ENERGY STAR-rated compact fluorescent lamps.
- Using a programmable thermostat to save energy while asleep or away from home.
- Enabling power management settings on computers and monitors so they go into "sleep mode" when away or not in use.
- Making purchases of ENERGY STAR-qualified products, such as home electronics, office products and/or appliances.
- Making sure homes are well sealed and insulated.
By using less energy, consumers can reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned at power plants to make electricity. This means less of the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. According to the EPA, if every American household took part in the pledge, it could save more than $18 billion in annual energy costs.
"Most people underestimate how much their homes can influence greenhouse gas emissions," said George Andraos, director, Energy Supply and Efficiency, Ford Land. "We want to help them understand that taking small steps – like changing their light bulbs – can help reduce the collective impact of global climate change."
Good for the environment and good for business
This past March, Ford earned the EPA's coveted 2009 ENERGY STAR Award for the fourth consecutive year, recognizing Ford's continued leadership and commitment to protecting the environment through energy efficiency.
"Earning these prestigious ENERGY STAR awards validates Ford's belief that a sustainable, profitable business requires responsible use of environmental resources," said John Viera, Ford director for Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "Our partnership with ENERGY STAR has been instrumental in driving energy efficiency improvements throughout our company."
The EPA introduced ENERGY STAR in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to offer business and consumers effective energy efficiency solutions for saving energy, money and the environment. Ford became a registered ENERGY STAR partner in 1998.
In 2008, Ford improved energy efficiency in the U.S. by 5 percent resulting in savings of approximately $16 million. Actual savings due to plant shutdowns were higher, but Ford measures energy efficiency as energy consumed per vehicle. Since 2000, Ford's U.S. facilities have improved energy efficiency by nearly 35 percent. That's equivalent to the annual energy consumed by more than 150,000 homes.
The most significant energy efficiency actions included installation of large-scale networked heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, air compressor controls and energy-efficient production tooling. Data-driven processes and automated systems further drove improvements at manufacturing, corporate, and research and engineering facilities.
###
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.