Impacts of Proposed Energy Star Cuts
Do the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to the Energy Star program impact more than just energy conscious consumers?
A recent budget proposal from the White House would eliminate federal leadership of Energy Star, a program for companies seeking energy efficient appliances and products. Consumers interested in energy savings often look for the Energy Star logo on products. Buildings can also be Energy Star certified. The elimination of federal leadership is a part of the administration’s proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by a quarter to steer $54 million to the military.
The E.P.A. administers the Energy Star program which started in 1992. The program has helped customers, families and businesses save billions on their electric bills. About 18,000 companies participate in Energy Star to obtain certification for their products.
Does the proposed move by the Trump Administration help create more insecurity than security? Greenhouse gas pollution intensifies global warming, making the planet a warmer and causing change to the earth’s ecological systems. The Energy Star program has prevented 2.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution from entering the atmosphere, according to a report released by the E.P.A.
What type of fallout can the planet experience from global warming? According to a Department of Defense report, global warming could exasperate problems such as poverty, weaken political intuitions and also keep governments from meeting basic human needs in a number of countries. These issues could cause lots of problems for states that are already fragile and have limited resources to deal with such problems. The report also said the Department of Defense must consider the impacts of global warming on areas such as sea level rise, shifting climate zones and more frequent severe weather events. The fallout from climate change can already be observed in stresses to certain nations and communities such as Africa, the United States, the Arctic, Middle East, Asia and South America, said the report.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/612710
Sources: Department of Defense Report on the Security Implications of Climate Change.
