Buzzword: The Tie Goes to the Dolphin

What it means. With the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays under way, you might hear the phrase "the tie goes to the runner" used at some point during the best-of-seven set. Here's hoping there's not a decision as controversial as the blown safe call first-base ump Don Denkinger made during Game 6 of the 1985 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals.

"The tie goes to the dolphin"—more of a buzzphrase than a buzzword—puts an environmental spin on the baseball axiom. It originally referred to canned tuna: When other factors like taste and cost are equal or at least similar, consumers who believe the tie goes to the dolphin will choose a brand with the "Dolphin Safe" logo on the label (shown). But the buzzphrase can be applied to other categories, including all manner of household appliances and gear, when environmental or energy-efficient issues come into play.

Why the buzz? Steven H. Saltzman, the editor of this blog, turned me on to this concept. Saltzman told me that an official from a federal agency had uttered the phrase during a meeting they had to discuss the energy efficiency of and federal standards for appliances. The phrase seems especially apropos at a time when consumers have been greenwashed by marketing campaigns touting the environmental friendliness of products.

Most U.S. consumers don't base their purchasing decisions solely on a product's greenness. They will, however, make green the tiebreaker between two otherwise similar products. In fact, nearly 90 percent of Americans say they would choose an eco-friendly product if it were to cost the same as an equal competitor, according to a report by BBMG, a New York City-based branding and integrated-marketing firm.

That's why we factor in energy efficiency when rating many household products. With refrigerators, for example, we measure not only temperature performance, noise, and usable storage space but also energy efficiency. In a tie-goes-to-the-dolphin scenario, you'd choose the Maytag MFC2061HE[W], $2,250, over the comparable Maytag Ice2O MFI2266AE[W], $2,050, since the former is more energy efficient.

For washing machines, the Whirlpool Cabrio HE WTW6600S[W], $1,000, and Kenmore (Sears) HE2t 4756[1], $900, both provide very good washing performance. But the Kenmore is a front-loader and will use less water than the top-loading Whirlpool. The tie goes to the Kenmore.

In some cases, the energy-efficiency deal maker is not so obvious and becomes apparent only when you calculate the savings you'll generate over their entire lifetime. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs cost more than incandescent bulbs, but because CFLs last significantly longer and use so much less energy, they're the hands-down favorite.

So next time you're choosing among products, opt for the one that will save you money and help the environment.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: Use our interactive Home Improvement Guide for room-by-room buying guides.