Current Event

In the New York times today, there was an article called, "Energy Star Appliances May Not Be Efficient, Audit Finds". It says, "The Energy Department concluded in an internal audit that it does not properly track whether manufacturers that give thier appliances and Energy Star label have met the required specs for energy efficiency". We were talking about this Energy Star just this last week and this article says that no one is regulating the claims of being energy efficient. This is exactly the problem with many marketing claims of products. Consumers used to not think anything of a claim on a box that said "all natural" or "energy efficient" but now because these claims are hollow, consumers are reluctant to believe real claims, making it that much more difficult for companies doing well to be recognized. On Sept. 30, the Energy Department and E.P.A. signed a memo of understanding that seeks to address some of the shortcomings detailed in the report. The report committed both agencies to having all of their products evaluated by certified independent labs. This is a good step in the right direction although there have been no dates set to achieve these goals. For now, consumers need to be aware that Energy Star doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot.