Speeches - By Date

On a day when most of us dread the government collecting our tax money, it seems fitting that we celebrate a government program that does the reverse B helping businesses and consumers keep more of that hard-earned money.

Indeed, Energy Star is a shining example of the real results we can achieve when government and business work together towards our shared goals of a strong economy and a healthy environment. Energy Star proves what President Bush and I strongly believe B economic security and environmental protection can and must go hand in hand.

As a voluntary program, Energy Star depends upon the leadership and commitment of dedicated partners to promote the use and increase the availability of energy efficient products. To date, Energy Star is recognized by 40% of the American public and Americans have bought over 1 billion Energy Star products B so you must be doing something right.

In addition, I = m pleased to announce tonight another year of record-setting success for the Energy Star program. These latest results reveal the incredible impact of your efforts. In 2002, Energy Star saved consumers and businesses $7 billion dollars on their energy bills, saved enough energy to power 15 million homes, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 14 million cars off the road.

With such success, we have developed a great deal of momentum to expand the Energy Star program beyond just the appliance section of the department store. The option to choose Energy Star now extends to building an energy efficient home and improving the energy performance of existing buildings.

More than 3,000 builders have constructed over 100,000 Energy Star qualified homes, providing a financial savings for homeowners of more than $26 million a year, and over 15,000 businesses have used EPA = s Energy Star tools and resources to rate the energy performance of their buildings. From an apartment high-rise in California to a theater in New York City, I have traveled all across the country to award Energy Star distinctions. The great diversity of buildings receiving the award prove that no matter the size and no matter the use, any building can become more energy efficient and help the environment.

Over the past year, EPA has also worked to extend Energy Star = s reach by partnering with the Department of Energy and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to incorporate Energy Star products and practices throughout the affordable housing market. Of course, even as Energy Star expands and grows, the foundation of its success remains the same B our partners. And with more than 7,000 businesses and organizations joining with EPA in this effort, that foundation is indeed strong.

Tonight, we are honoring over 40 of our partners as this year = s Energy Star award winners. From a small school district to one of the world = s largest corporations, many of our winners don = t have a lot in common. However, what they do share is an abiding commitment to increase energy efficiency and protect the environment for the people they serve.

Through Energy Star, we are improving our environment, while at the same time allowing our economy to grow and our quality of life to endure. We aren = t just talking about what to do about global climate change or how to reduce our energy consumption, we are moving forward quickly and aggressively and actually doing something about it.

The dedication and decision of the industries here today to play an integral role in our efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, improve our air, and provide greater energy security will stand as a noteworthy legacy of environmental stewardship. By continuing our work together we can ensure a clean and healthy environment for our generation and future generations to come. Thank you.