EDF Launches Electronic Label For Electricity

(4 September, 1997 — Washington, DC) The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is excited to announce the launch of its Electronic Labeling Project. Now with a click of a button, customers can find out where their electricity comes from, how much electricity they use, and how much pollution is emitted in producing their electricity.

The Electronic Label can be found by pointing your Internet browser to:

http://legacy.environmentaldefense.org/programs/energy/green_power/x_calculator.html

EDF’s automatic pollution calculator uses estimated data from the Energy Information Administration to generate a simple and understandable label with essential facts about electricity. EDF’s Electricity Facts label is designed to be similar to the nutrition labels now appearing on processed foods throughout the country.

The goal of the project is to give customers an idea of the kind of information they can have and use when choosing electricity products. As competition emerges in the electric industry, and as even regulated utilities begin offering new kinds of electricity products, customers need basic information to make important product and service choices. Utilities and other electricity providers have the hard data needed to make labels work. EDF is working with advocacy groups around the country to create disclosure and labeling requirements for all providers.

The Electronic Labeling Project also links to pages describing each source of electricity, the impacts of pollution, the importance of buying green, which companies intend to sell green electricity, and the importance of labeling electricity. Links to more information can be found through EDF’s Green Electricity page:

http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentid=799

The Electronic Labeling Project will help customers make the connection between flipping the light switch and the environmental, health, and economic damage that results from current electricity production. EDF believes that educated customers will be more likely to choose green electricity products in a restructured electric market; the Electronic Labeling Project helps them educate themselves.