According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average household dryer consumes 1,079 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, which creates 2,224 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2).[1] In fact, if every US household let just one load of laundry air-dry, it would reduce CO2 emissions by 250,000 tons.[2]
Despite the fact that dryers are the second largest energy users in the home, and they require a significant amount of money to operate (approximately $1,500 over the life of the machine), ENERGY STAR does not rate these appliances at all.[3] Since all dryers work similarly—by heating clothes while tumbling them—they all consume comparable amounts of energy. Reducing you dryer's carbon footprint, therefore, means avoiding the dryer when possible, using dryer settings and load size to optimize efficiency, and seeking out dryers with moisture sensors and other more efficient features.
Subsidies and tax credits
Some states offer tax incentives and rebates to consumers to encourage them to purchase efficient appliances. To check which states have such a program, go to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.
