The Energy Star program, a government-run designation that has assisted millions of Americans in lowering their power costs and lessening their environmental impact for more than thirty years, is the latest long-standing energy efficiency project to come under attack from the Trump administration.
The Energy Star program was first introduced in 1992 under President George H.W. Bush and certifies buildings, electronics, and appliances that adhere to stringent energy-saving standards.
Products bearing its recognizable blue sticker have established themselves as a reliable option for customers trying to reduce their carbon footprint and save money.
Why Energy Star is important for your finances?
Although the government did not specifically confirm Energy Star’s termination, documents presented at a recent EPA meeting showed a restructuring plan that includes its elimination.
However, union representatives and internal sources claim that workers were informed directly that the program would be shut down.
Even while the EPA presented the modifications as a part of larger “organizational improvements,” lawmakers, business associations, and environmentalists have been even more alarmed by the lack of discussion surrounding Energy Star’s future.
The program has a huge audience
Since its creation, it has been credited with saving consumers over $500 billion in energy costs, and it sells over $100 billion worth of certified items annually.
In addition to the financial gains, the EPA says the program has saved 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is a win for the environment that taxpayers have not had to pay for.
So why get rid of it?
According to the administration, energy efficiency regulations lower customer choice and raise costs for producers, especially in sectors like automobiles and appliances.
President Trump has regularly attacked contemporary energy-saving technologies, citing personal annoyances such as inefficient showers and low water pressure.
As part of a larger economic strategy, his January executive order favors the development and deregulation of fossil fuels while calling for fewer regulations on consumer products.
The proposed cut has, however, received a resoundingly unfavorable response from the sector.
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Numerous appliance manufacturers and trade associations have pushed the EPA to keep Energy Star in place, stating that doing away with such a well-liked and reputable program could result in lower-quality substitutes and increased running costs for customers.
Democratic lawmakers are among the critics who claim the action will undermine budgets rather than help them, viewing it as a gift to polluters at the expense of American households.
American consumers may soon have to choose between more expensive and less effective items without any trustworthy standards to help them make decisions if the program is dissolved.
For many, that translates into increased environmental damage, higher energy costs, and fewer alternatives at the register.
