Energy Star Is Good For Climate And Economy. Trump Wants To Kill It

"A new White House proposal would slash the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by 24 percent and eliminate 38 of its programs. One of the programs on the kill list is the Energy Star program, an initiative that experts say is as much about saving money as it is about saving the climate. Should it be eliminated, they argue, both consumers and businesses could suffer.

“We need to get it off any target list it may be on, and right away,” said Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, in an interview with The Washington Post.

The program, which was created in 1992, sets an international standard for energy-efficient products, including heating and cooling systems, appliances, and electronics. Homes and other buildings may also receive Energy Star certification by meeting certain standards for energy efficiency.

Since its inception, the Energy Star program says, it has saved consumers an estimated $430 billion on utility bills and avoided 2.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions."

Chelsea Harvey reports for the Washington Post March 7, 2017.