The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) today announced a strategic
partnership with the Alliance
to Save Energy (the Alliance), a nonprofit organization that
promotes energy efficiency worldwide through research, education and
advocacy, to publicize the environmental and energy savings benefits of
washing laundry in cold water. Through this agreement, the Alliance will
work with P&G's natural resource education initiative, Future Friendly,
to provide consumers with the information they need to convert from
hot/warm water washing habits to cold water washing.
"Energy efficiency doesn't always require huge investments or new
equipment, but it often requires education," said Kateri
Callahan, Alliance to Save Energy President. "If we can overcome
consumer barriers to cold water washing, consumers would find it easy to
be more energy efficient and to reduce their home energy bills. With
just the switch of a dial, cold water washing is one of the simplest
ways to save energy and money and benefit the environment."
The heating of water is a major use of energy in a typical American
household. When doing laundry, heating water can account for up to 80
percent of the energy used per wash load in the U.S. By moving to cold
water, Americans could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 11
million metric tons annually. However, a major barrier to adopting cold
water washing habits in the U.S. is the consumer worry that washing in
cold will not clean as effectively as warm/hot water. To combat this
notion, P&G's Tide Coldwater detergent, which is specially formulated to
perform optimally in cold water, will be showcased as part of P&G's
ongoing efforts to convert consumers to cold water washing.
P&G Future Friendly will work with the Alliance as part of an Earth
Day-focused campaign that encourages consumers to change their laundry
habits for the better. Featuring a Facebook sweepstakes, pop-up events
and media activities, the campaign will utilize Alliance-provided data
and consumer-friendly language to illustrate the environmental benefits
of cold water washing and drive consumer action.
"We look forward to working with the Alliance to Save Energy to showcase
how little acts like switching to cold water washing can create enormous
benefits for the environment," said Len Sauers, P&G VP of Global
Sustainability.