On the true meaning of “efficiency”
SIERRA-jonathan
Sat, 2024-12-28 02:00
Photo by Fotomax/iStock
BenJealous
Dec282024
TheincomingTrumpadministrationissupposedlyinterestedin“efficiency.”Ithasawholequasigovernmentaldepartment—theElonMuskandVivekRamaswamychairedDepartmentofGovernmentEfficiency—purportedlyreadytotakeaimatgovernmentwaste.Sowhyaretheverysamepeoplegoingtosuchextremestomakewastingenergyoneoftheirhighestpriorities?
AmongthefinalactsoftheMAGA-ledHouseofRepresentativestoendthisCongresswasthepassageoftheabsurdlynamedLibertyinLaundryAct.Itprohibitsthesecretaryofenergyfromsettingorenforcingenergy-efficiencystandardsforclotheswashersanddryers.Itisbutoneofseverallegislativeattacksonenergy-efficienthomeappliances,likedishwashersandrefrigerators,advancedbytheHouse’sRepublicanmajority.WhilethebillmayhavenochanceofpassingintheSenate,thisisaclearsignaloftheGOP’sbackwardprioritiesinthenextCongress.
Energyefficiencysimplymeansanapplianceuseslessenergytodoitsjob.Itnotonlycansave
