Trump wants to cut the Energy Star program and, with it, billions in consumer savings

[babylonsister]

https://www.edf.org/blog/2017/03/08/trump-wants-cut-energy-star-program-and-it-billions-consumer-savings?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=edf_transition_upd_dmt&utm_medium=social-media&utm_id=1489070520

Trump wants to cut the Energy Star program – and, with it, billions in consumer savings
Jim Marston / Published March 8, 2017 in Climate / PoliticsEconomicsEnergy


Evidently, President Trump and his environmental protection chief Scott Pruitt are just getting warmed up.

Now they’ve set their sights on one of the most successful and noncontroversial energy-related programs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ever managed – Energy Star, a program that saves consumers more than $30 billion a year.

According to E&E News, Trump’s draft budget encourages the EPA to “begin developing legislative options and associated groundwork for transferring ownership and implementation of Energy Star to a non-governmental entity.”

Translation: Energy Star, you’re dead.

85% of Americans know Energy Star

If you’ve shopped for a refrigerator, television, washing machine or computer in the last 25 years, you’ve likely run across a product that’s been certified by Energy Star. The voluntary program reviews the energy efficiency of a variety of electronic product categories, and labels the best performers – usually the top 25 percent – Energy Star Certified.

It’s a clever concept, like a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for energy, but with better measurement and verification. By highlighting a product’s energy performance and projected annual energy cost, Energy Star made energy efficiency a feature.

snip//

Yet, even being a smashing success isn’t enough for President Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

So what happens if they go ahead and kill Energy Star? We’ll see higher electric bills, less competitive manufacturing, wasted energy, more pollution and more sick kids. Is that making America great again?

[Lucinda]

1. KNR

[riversedge]

2. OHG!!

[procon]

3. Fossil fuel power plants need to generate more profits.

With the growth in wind and solar power, the sales of fossil fuel must be down. What better way to make a profit than to increase demand for energy consumption through the use of energy hogging appliances.

[Blue_true]

8. His attack on Energy Star is likely to fail.

Manufacturers have been designing more efficient appliances for more that two decades, their design rules are built to prominently feature energy savings. That isn't easy to reverse, neither are designs in vehicles.

[Thor_MN]

12. He wants to privatize it.

“begin developing legislative options and associated groundwork for transferring ownership and implementation of Energy Star to a non-governmental entity.”

Turn it into a revenue stream for an accomplice to extort money from manufacturers, driving prices up.

[thesquanderer]

16. Right. Not killing it, privatizing it. So someone can profit from it. (n/t)

[louis-t]

4. He really hates America.

And Americans.

[smirkymonkey]

5. Sick motherfu**er!

Can we just go one effing day without him doing something evil and hateful to the citizens of this nation? Just one day?

[Ilsa]

6. Most people don't know about the bad shit he's dumping on us.

The media only talks about the promises he says he's kept.

[logosoco]

7. This all just gets more stupid every day.

They are the most petty, selfish group of people to begin with. Now that they are in charge, they are bending over backward to do the least for the American people and to do the most harm.

They live in such a bubble and have for so long. The 1% knows nothing about how most people live. They think money is the best thing in life. They can't comprehend that many people live happily on little money. And they sure are out of touch with the earth they are living on.

I think this will all come back to bite them.

[dchill]

9. Everybody knows that $30 billion would be better...

used in the hands of big business. Campaign contributions, PACs, private islands...

[world wide wally]

10. Personally, I would rather be the "forgotten man" than the fucking target of Trump

How's it working out for you working stiffs in Pa, Mi and Wi?

[Solly Mack]

11. K&R

[kimbutgar]

13. There will a rush now for people to buy energy efficient appliances

[progressoid]

14. I'm gonna need a stiff drink tonight.

[dembotoz]

15. maybe instead of energy star....golden showers of energy savings rate from 1 girl to 5

[drray23]

17. that wont work.

Most manufacturers will still tout the efficiency of their appliances. This is something consumers look for when purchasing something. Why would you want to buy an inefficient appliance costing you more money to operate ? Even if it is no longer required to post on a sticker the energy consumption, i bet the products will still show it because its good for sales.