HOHENFELS, Germany — October is Energy Action Month, and if you need any motivation to take action, look at the high cost of energy consumption.

This October has seen higher than normal energy prices, which has an impact on the U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria bill as well as your household bill.

Knowing that most of a household’s energy consumption goes into heating, the first thing you can check is whether your thermostat follows your weekly routine. Make sure your temperature is lowered during the night and when the house is empty.

Are your lights and appliances energy efficient? Look for energy-efficient products that will help you save money in the long term. To help you choose the best product, the EU has developed energy labels, with the same goal as the US ENERGY STAR label.

Revised European energy labels have been launched for some products such as fridges, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, television sets, light bulbs and lamps. More product categories will follow in the coming years.

The new labels show a simpler scale (from A to G), replacing the previous ones where more and more products were achieving ratings as A++ or A+++. This new scale is stricter so don’t be surprised to see more products in the B, C or D categories as it leaves space for even more technology improvement in the future. Scan the QR code on the label to get even more information on the model you are looking at.

To learn more, contact the USAG Bavaria Environmental Division at: https://home.army.mil/bavaria/index.php/environmental