Bid Farewell To the Energy Star Program and Its Magnificent Contribution to Energy Efficiency and Conservation

It appears that the Trump administration will not let up on its war against the environment until the very last attempt to protect our natural ecosystems is repealed.  On the chopping block this week is Energy Star program, established in 1992 to help consumers identify appliances that will cut their utility bills and reduce their environmental footprint.

The basic statistics associated with the Energy Star program:

• Age: 25

• Companies participating: 18,000

• Reductions in consumers’ energy bills: $430 billion

• Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions: 6 trillion pounds CO2 (not to mention enormous quantities of methane, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, cadmium, arsenic, selenium, mercury, and an array of radioactive isotopes).

At this point, it should be clear to everyone on this planet that the net effect of the Trump Administration on the environment is going to be catastrophic. No one but a sociopath can support this systematic ruination of our waters and skies.

If Trump could do just one thing that shows any compassion for the people of Earth, perhaps he could begin to stem the steady erosion of support–even from his own base. But here we are, 55 days in, and we still haven’t seen a single act in this direction.  (Also gone in this budget: Meals on Wheels. Hungry old people who can’t get food?  Screw ’em.)

Next time you call or write to your representatives in Congress, you may want to remark: “Hey. We like breathing. We enjoy drinking clean water. You don’t have to take any radical action here. Just stop our government’s steady onslaught against the environment.”