Energy Star Program Needs an Overhaul

Martin Hellman writes "DeviceGuru.com ran my piece raising questions about the EPA's Energy Star program. For example, an Energy Star compliant TV that claims to draw 0.1 watts in sleep mode appears to do that — but only seems to sleep about 25% of the time that it is 'off.' The other 75% of the time it draws about 20 watts, for an effective sleep power draw from the user's perspective that is 150 times what the manufacturer claims. Based on the observations described, it is also questionable how many PC's really are sleeping when their screens are blank, even if the user has turned sleep mode on. Given the billions of dollars and tons of CO2 that are at stake, this situation demands more attention."

Comments

Re:I'm getting a bit tired of this....

[zappepcs]

gah! I forgot to add to my original post that saving money and resources is a damned good reason for having energy efficient appliances. It's just that CO2 is not! It's a trendy buzzword whose common perceived meaning has no viable or believable relationship to a good reason for buying energy efficient devices. I agree with you almost completely. I would posit that people who don't like us very much ALREADY control our economy.

oh...that free agency thing.

[gandhi_2]

You know what would be cooler than the government telling me how to spend 15 cents? How about the government going and fucking itself.

I: unplug unsused electronics; hard-switch off powerstrips that supply electronics; buy appliances (other things being equal) based on the kwh numbers; have a pretty good baby freeze; don't need the government or bloggers trying to make choices for me. Free agency, kids.

If electricity costs money, and I use it, I pay for it. If I want to pay more to use more, that's between me and the supplier. Not bloggers, not the government, not you.

Disbanding the EPA's EnergyStar program would save energy and money.

How would skate boarders feel if there was a whole government agency set up to reduce skate boarding?

Re:Why tons of CO2?

[alienw]

You are exactly right. If everyone started commuting in a Prius tomorrow, there would probably be a lot MORE CO2 produced. First, you have to make all the priuses. Second, people tend to drive more when they feel good about it. Third, the Prius isn't a huge improvement over a similarly-sized car (40 vs 35 mpg).

Re:I honestly have to disagree!

[John Jamieson]

I'm sorry you are surounded by such a large group of utterly wasteful and lazy people.

I find some groups in the U.S. to be especially wasteful. I think we need more travel, people need to live/work in other parts of the world for a while. Maybe then they will realize that the lifestyle they live is unsustainable, and really no better than it would be if they wasted less.

Part of the reason we are in this recession/depression is this wasteful consumerist attitude. When you don't think about the pennies and dollars, suddenly you are a nation that is in debt to the rest of the world, dependant on others for even the basics like energy.

Tons of CO2? But...but...but...

[L. J. Beauregard]

Given the billions of dollars and tons of CO2 that are at stake

But...but...but...AAAAAALLLLLL GOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRE!