Dear Editor,

Since the Energy Star public-private partnership began in 1992, it has helped save American households and businesses more than $500 billion on energy costs. It has prevented more than 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (roughly the equivalent of annual pollution from 933 million cars). And it has done so while empowering consumers with better information — not by taking anything away. What that looks like at the local level is homes and businesses in a large city like Chicago saving US$116.6 million a year in energy costs, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 539,500 metric tons.

Now US President Donald Trump wants to get rid of it. Virtually no one thinks that would be wise.

In March, a large group of manufacturers and industry associations penned a letter calling on Environmental Protections Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to keep the popular EPA programme. The US Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, and others said, “Eliminating [Energy Star] will not serve the American people,” and they pointed out that because of consumers’ high awareness of the programme — to the tune of 90 per cent brand awareness — the results if it is eliminated would be “decreased features, functionality, performance, or increased costs” of appliances.

Energy Star-certified homes typically save around US$450 per year on energy bills. In 2020 alone, the programme’s emissions reductions amounted to more than five per cent of total US greenhouse gas emissions. That year, the programme’s energy savings also improved health outcomes for communities by preventing 210,000 tons each of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide pollutants, and 20,000 tons of fine particulate matter. The public health benefits from those reductions in air pollution were estimated to be as high as US$17 billion!

Further, the estimated annual market value of Energy Star product sales is more than US$100 billion. And of domestic energy efficiency jobs, about 35 per cent are in the manufacturing and installation of Energy Star products. As of 2020, that was more than 790,000 American jobs.

In his latest attack on common sense, Trump is trying to eliminate one of the federal government’s most successful and least controversial consumer protection tools.

Ending Energy Star is not a serious policy move, it is performative politics at its worst. It is “virtue signalling” to fossil fuel extremists from a man desperate to please his donors while punishing regular people for choosing clean, affordable options.

Targeting the programme as part of some sort of ideological deregulation agenda doesn’t even make sense, because it is not a regulation. It does not force anybody to buy or produce anything. It is simply a voluntary, science-based labelling system. It helps consumers compare appliances and other products based on their energy efficiency. It helps Americans cut down their energy bills. And it helps reduce pollution that hurts our lungs and heats our planet.

That is why Americans across the political spectrum support it. It is an example of our Government doing something simple, effective, and bipartisan. At least, it used to be.

Trump’s push to dismantle this programme is a perfect example of how MAGA (Make America Great Again) hardliners have turned their backs on the very people they claim to represent.

Cutting Energy Star would be a betrayal of the millions of Americans who are already struggling to afford groceries, gas, and electricity. It would hurt seniors trying to stay warm in winter. It would hurt young families buying their first refrigerator. It would hurt renters in cities, and homeowners in rural towns alike. No one benefits – except the lobbyists and the oil barons.

Ben Jealous

Executive director of the Sierra Club