By: Brittney Gordon

It’s official-- the holidays are here, and for people across the country, the hunt for the perfect gift is on. While the frantic pace of holiday season can make even the jolliest among us exclaim “bah humbug,” there is a good reason to delight in finding the perfect gift for your loved ones this year.  From tablets and slates to TVs and appliances, the best gifts of 2016 are also good for the environment-- all you need to do is look for the ENERGY STAR. Throughout the holiday season EPA will highlight the #BestGifts, and show you how looking for the trusted blue label can help you save energy, save money, and protect the climate, without sacrificing the technology and innovation that your loved one’s desire. We’ll start with the best ways to save energy on electronic gifts this holiday season.   

ENERGY STAR’s Top Electronic Gift Picks for 2016

Televisions: ENERGY STAR certified TVs offer all of the latest cutting-edge features, and are more than 25% more energy efficient than standard models. A home equipped with TVs, set-top boxes, a Blu Ray player and a sound system that have earned the ENERGY STAR can save more than $165 over the life of the products.

• Bonus Savings Tip: Brighter TVs use more energy. Automatic Brightness Control (ABC) automatically adjusts TV brightness to relative to room brightness and reduces power consumption by 30%.

Audio and Video: Is your loved one asking for the gift of great audio/video products this year? If so, look for the ENERGY STAR label for choices that provide the latest in technology AND energy savings.

Sound Bars

You’ll hear the sounds of savings this holiday season, with an ENERGY STAR certified sound bar that uses about 69% less energy than conventional models. These products come with great benefits, like:

• Volume leveling technology: Sound bars can ensure commercials are not louder than show soundtracks. This feature is good for late-night TV watching, as loud sound effects won't wake sleeping family members. In addition, the lower volumes will save energy. 
• Great sound quality with less energy: Sound bars use multiple audio channels with discrete sounds assigned to each channel to create a three-dimensional surround effect. Surround sound from one sound bar avoids the need for, and the extra energy use, of a multi-speaker surround sound system.

Wireless speakers

ENERGY STAR certified wireless speakers are the perfect gift for the music lover on the go, using 22% less energy and delivering the latest in technology and quality. Product perks include:

• Multi-purpose usage: Some wireless speakers come with a built-in recharger

through a USB charging port to power up your mobile device.

• Ability to be used anywhere—including in your home: Wireless speakers can be used on the go and in your home theatre, to bring your movie or TV show to life.
• Products that are better for the environment: ENERGY STAR certified wireless speakers provide all the functionality of standard products, but use less energy, reducing their impact on the environment.

Digital media players (DMPs)

With the colder weather coming, there are sure to be plenty of cozy days and nights to stream your favorite shows and movies. Give the gift of energy efficiency this season with an ENERGY STAR certified digital media player. They offer the latest technology and are about 44% more efficient than standard models.

• Bonus Savings Tip: Use the sleep mode. If inactive for a period of time, some ENERGY STAR certified DMPs automatically enter a low-power sleep mode. To maximize savings, you can lower the amount of time it takes for an inactive DMP to go to sleep. If your DMP is not capable of entering sleep mode automatically, manually turn your DMP off whenever you can to maximize your energy savings.

Tablets

Did you know? Close to 70% of consumers watch streamed or downloaded content. How you choose to stream affects your energy use. Tablets that are ENERGY STAR certified use 10 times less power to stream than a game console, 7 times less power than streaming directly to your television, and 6 times less than streaming to a desktop computer or monitor. Save even more by:

• Lowering the brightness: Powering the screen takes significant energy, so set your slate or tablet to the auto-brightness setting, so screen brightness is automatically adjusted based on ambient light
• Staying updated: Keeping your devices regularly updated will ensure they are equipped with the most up-to-date energy saving systems and programs.

Laptops and Desktop Computers: ENERGY STAR certified computers are engineered with efficient power supplies for those long nights in the library, epic movie marathons, and everything in between—and they can use 30-65% less energy! You can save even more by:

• Putting it to sleep.  ENERGY STAR certified home office equipment with the power management features enabled can save nearly $250 over the life of the products!

Last, but not least, don’t forget to look for ENERGY STAR certified decorative light strings this holiday season. They use 75% less energy than conventional models and can last up to 10 times longer.

Looking for more info on the #BestGifts this holiday season? Go to the ENERGY STAR website. Happy Holidays!

Brittney Gordon-Williams is a member of the ENERGY STAR communications team. Her favorite holiday activities include Christmas shopping, tree trimming and tryptophan-induced dinners.