Concerned about rising energy costs and impending shortages? You can make a huge difference without sacrificing any convenience by switching to energy efficient appliances. The Boston Washer Study, a five-month program coordinated by Maytag Appliances and the Department of Energy to evaluate the water and energy savings of high-efficiency washers, found that study participants saved a remarkable 50 percent of energy and 44 percent of water by switching to high-efficiency Maytag Neptune washers and dryers.

“In a related study conducted about three years ago in a residential community, we found that water usage fell by 40 percent and energy by 60 percent through a changeover to high-efficiency clothes washers,” John Tomlinson, senior research director at the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, told Appliance magazine. Clothes washers, refrigerators, and room air conditioners are the home’s biggest electricity users, according to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Replacing appliances and office equipment with products bearing the Energy Star label when they break down or wear out can make a significant difference in your energy bills—and the environment.