Bush to agencies: Get rid of 'vampire' appliances

speech at the Energy Department last Thursday, Bush called on the federal government to set an example of energy conservation by purchasing appliances equipped with the latest energy-saving technologies. Bush said he would work with Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to help government and industry meet energy standards mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program. The program, created in 1993, places a star insignia on appliances that use less energy than their traditional counterparts. "I'm going to sign an executive order directing all federal agencies to purchase appliances that meet the [Energy Star] standard, wherever cost-effective," Bush said. "We will purchase the new technologies, but we will do so without getting gouged." The President blamed "vampire" appliances-computers, televisions, and cell phone chargers that waste energy even when they are turned off-for draining the country of valuable energy. "My dream is to have desktop computers all across our government with the latest savings devices that say, when the computer is off or on standby, the energy supply being used is reduced by sevenfold," he said. The White House plans to save energy in its own buildings by turning lights off in offices when they are not in use, setting thermostats for hot water heaters at 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and turning off computer monitors at the end of each day. In May, Bush called on agencies to reduce energy consumption in federal buildings by as much as 10 percent during peak demand periods, particularly in areas prone to power shortages.