From ceiling fans to refrigerators, the Department of Energy is updating appliance efficiency standards that would affect millions of consumers.

The Biden administration’s goal is to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gasses and save Americans billions of dollars a year in utility costs. But the administration is facing pushback from the natural gas industry, because some new standards would affect gas appliances. Conservative politicians and media have taken notice of the measures, too, and they’ve now made unsexy, technical appliance standards a flashpoint in the country’s culture war.

  • guitarsarereal@sh.itjust.works
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    11 months ago

    I don’t understand how anyone is supposed to resent appliance companies for reducing their power bills. Like, for real? You prefer it when you spend 5x as much to accomplish the exact same goal? Does it make you feel like you’re not as broke as you really are when you spend all this money subsidizing your electrical company/natural gas company/gas companies, etc? Is that what it’s about? Irrationally minimizing utility as a form of patriotic action, and what’s more, doing this in a globalized capitalist marketplace?

    Begging conservatives to, what’s the phrase again? Take an economics class?

    • Jax@sh.itjust.works
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      11 months ago

      Yeah but the libruls said to do it, and libruls are cringe and not based. Or something.

      • guitarsarereal@sh.itjust.works
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        11 months ago

        Well, it’s awful hard to stay on the side of progress and economic development when the social system you stand for lost the ability to deliver either over 100 years ago.

        • Jax@sh.itjust.works
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          11 months ago

          I remember reading about a man who actively understood/acknowledged that Trump was a liar and a criminal, but continued to vote for him because it felt good.

          When for everyone one person that wants progress there is another that actively goes against them, and cannot or will not listen to reason; yes it is difficult to stay on the side of progress.