Energy Star

Trump’s budget is a declaration of war on the environment

Here are 13 ways that it would massively screw over the climate, clean water, Amtrak, and more.

Critical List: Meat consumption must drop 50 percent; Los Angeles the Energy Star of cities

We going to have to eat half as much meat as we do now in order to curb climate change. After Deepwater Horizon, throughout the Gulf “things are just a little bit out of kilter,” says the head of NOAA’s restoration team. With 659 certified Energy Star buildings, Los Angeles has the most of any […]

Is it bad to leave chargers plugged in?

A reader seeks clarification on energy-sucking phone and laptop chargers. Umbra divulges the juicy truth.

Critical List: Earthquake shook nuclear plant too hard; new Energy Star labels for more efficiency

Last week's earthquake may have shaken a Virginia nuclear plant more than the plant was designed to withstand. There wasn’t much damage, but, uh, maybe it’s time to retrofit these older East Coast plants, just in case.

Since Energy Star labels have come to mean next to nothing, there are new ones. Look for "most efficient" Energy Star labels to find appliances that meet the highest standards for energy saving.

Japan passed a bill promising incentives for renewable energy, but companies are waiting for the government to hash out the details before they jump in.

Now you’re cooking with gas: Ask Umbra on energy-efficient stoves

Send your question to Umbra! Q. Dear Umbra, My wife would like to remodel the kitchen. This frightens me, personally, but I look it as an opportunity to buy some more energy-efficient appliances. Right now we have an ancient electric stove. Would replacing it with a natural gas stove be more efficient, or should we […]

House Republicans seek cuts to Energy Star, weatherization, advanced energy research, puppies

The Republicans' Spending Reduction Act would chop funding for Energy Star, transit, organic programs, energy research, and family planning.

Whoops: Energy Star approves gas-powered alarm clock

This (ahem) “space heater” earned a government Energy Star rating.Photo: Government Accountability OfficeWell this is embarrassing: Federal monitors granted the Energy Star stamp of approval to a number of bogus appliances, including a gas-powered alarm clock and an electric space heater with a feather duster taped to it. The Government Accountability Office submitted the fake […]

New reports show successes and failures of Energy Star

The media has been taking the Department of Energy (DOE) to task over a recently released audit by the Inspector General (IG) which highlighted some well known shortcomings in the Energy Star program. The conclusions were not surprising — there needs to be more testing of products to ensure compliance with Energy Star requirements and […]

DOE and EPA Agree to Make a Brighter Energy Star

Last week the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Energy Star program. Who runs Energy Star, the extremely successful program for promoting efficient appliances, equipment, and buildings, and how they run it has been a point of tension between the agencies that are […]