Environmental protection is not one of Donald Trump's priorities, quite the contrary. The American president and his administration have constantly cut programs aimed at reducing the exploitation of fossil fuels and promoting cleaner technologies... even if it means sacrificing widely recognized initiatives like Energy Star.
Less ecology, more ideology
The EPA, the American Environmental Protection Agency, has in fact closed the air quality department, which was responsible for the Energy Star program. Launched in 1992 by the first Bush administration, it is a public-private partnership that identifies products and equipment that consume less energy than standard models, without sacrificing performance. For the environment, it means fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and for consumers, Energy Star is a way to lower electricity bills.
While the label is eminently American, it appeared in Europe in 2001, following an agreement with the United States to promote its implementation on the old continent. The blue label flourished mainly on office equipment (computers, screens, printers, and photocopiers), while across the Atlantic it is also present on household appliances. The agreement, however, expired in early 2018 without being renewed. The use of the Energy Star label in Europe is now restricted to products already certified for the American or Canadian markets.
Other labels have appeared since then, such as the very recent one on smartphones and tablets. It is much more comprehensive, indicating not only energy efficiency, but also battery life, shock resistance, the number of battery cycles, etc. There are others for household appliances.
In the United States, the Energy Star program has saved American consumers more than $500 billion in energy costs over the past 33 years. They save an average of $450 per year on their energy bills by choosing Energy Star-labeled appliances.
The Trump administration is not supposed to decide alone whether to end this program: Congress must also give its approval. Which may explain why the EPA hasn't indicated when Energy Star will close.
Source: Washington Post
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