How did the shower and the refrigerator become political statements

Efficiency criteria for home appliances were once equivalent to a beige -neutral conversation, but they are not interested in strongly. But with the deepening of political polarization, dishwashers, washing machines, shower heads and other home foodstuffs began to accuse a new accusation. With Republicans now controlling the White House and both congressional councils, the rules that calmly provide the money of the Americans on the accompanying bills while maintaining energy and water suddenly are at risk.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump doubled his long -term complaints about low -time -long shower heads to clean. “Beautiful hair” he He ordered his administration To cancel a base, reviving it by the Biden Administration, which aims to provide water by restricting the flow from the matches. A White House fact paper The promise of the matter will back down from the “left war on water pressure” and “make bathing in America great again.”

It is part of a growing movement targeting efficiency standards – last year, Republicans in the House of Representatives acknowledged bills including “”Freedom of the refrigeratorAnd “and”Freedom in the Law of Washing“Although he did not succeed in the democratic -led Senate. Now that the congressional councils have already passed away, the Republicans have already passed Decision to cancel the standard of modern energy efficiency For gas water heaters, which are awaiting Trump’s signature.

Efficiency standards used to support the two parties. But today, many Republican politicians see restrictions on gas, refrigerators and washing machines as symbols of democratic intervention in self -determination. This is the idea that Trump offers when it happened Executive Targeting efficiency criteria for commodities and home appliances “to protect the freedom of the American people in choosing”. The message is frequented by modern points of industry groups that have an interest in keeping homes addicted to natural gas for stoves and water heaters.

“This is not the first time that we see efficiency criteria in cultural wars,” said Andrew Dilaski, Executive Director of the Awareness Project, The Agency’s Standards, which calls for a tougher legislation in energy efficiency legislation. “But President Trump has put it excessively.”

Payment of the most efficient devices began to respond to the fuel shortage raised by the 1973 oil crisis. Republican President Gerald Ford signed the Energy Policy and Conservation Policy Law in 1975, and set the basis for the government to set standards on home appliances. but State laws for the most efficient devices He came first, forcing manufacturers Mobility in a set of rules. So Congress has set efficiency standards at the country level Water heaters, air conditioners and dishwashersAnd many other home appliances with the National Energy Conservation Law in 1987, and another Republican President – Ronald Reagan signed it.

Congress Continue expanding these standards With the support of the two parties in 1992, 2005 and 2007. In total, the Ministry of Energy is now supervising the criteria for about 60 category of devices And other equipment in homes and companies, extending from toilets to commercial refrigerators.

In January Executive Ministry of Energy These rules, combined, saved the ordinary American family about $ 576 a year for their bills. It also reduced the use of national energy by 6.5 percent and 12 percent water consumption, making them a major tool for processing climate change and dehydration. Voters support energy -saving policies, with 87 percent of Americans It was surveyed by consumer reports in March and agreed that the new home appliances must be needed to meet the minimum level of efficiency – including 82 percent of Republicans. “People are not demanding products that lose energy and money unnecessarily.”

Despite the popularity of extensive efficiency, there was a scene of decline and general anger against active organs dating back to the eighties. Reagan has already caused the law to preserve the national bodies, saying it is restricted.option Available for consumers who will be denying the opportunity to buy low -cost devices, “the previous year signed. 1996 episode of SinfieldJerry, Kirmer, and Quman, tired of low -flowing shower heads in their building, they resorted to the purchase of Yugoslavia models from the black market from the back of the truck. Another cultural war was frightened on energy -saving LED lights in 2010, where the incandescent models began to gradually get rid of this, with the Republicans of the Tea Party announced that the choice of the light bulb was The issue of personal freedom.

Matthew Burgis, an environmental economist at the University of Wyoming, said that the rules of competence are likely to become a cultural flash point when people see them directly affect their lives. “People notice the flow of their heads,” he said. “People notice whether their stove is gas or electricity.” He said that some political tension on the devices resulted from ambitious changes, such as when Berkeley, California, California, California, Try to ban gas contacts in new buildings in 2019.

“I think there is an impression of parts of the right, and this is not completely wrong, and that the elements in the climate community, on the left, and in certain segments of the Democratic Party want to tell them what they must do and what they do not do in their families.”

However, the fossil fuel industry also affected the conversation: there was a coordinated campaign To highlight the narration of “consumer choice” For gas devices in particular, according to Emilia Bisiak, a great analyst at ENTREREMAP, a climate research center. Last year, for example, the American Gas Association presented a Summary of the court Challenge the energy efficiency management that dates back to the Biden era on the ovens and water heaters, on the pretext that Congress “wanted consumers to have freedom to choose the type of energy they prefer.”

“These industrial groups and gas facilities are working together,” Besiak said. “It is very effective to appear and lead this correspondence.” The “freedom of choice” was also repeated by Trump officials. One Priorities of the Minister of Energy in TrumpChris Wright, is “enhancing the ability to withstand costs and choosing the consumer in home appliances.”

The Grist Factors Association told the Grist that while it supports the efficiency standards process, it wants changes. “The process of setting and analyzing the rules must focus on the effect of the consumer, specifically with regard to the ability to bear costs and choose the product,” the association said in a statement. “Any criterion has been developed real and measurable benefits for the consumer.”

Although highly efficient devices tend to be more expensive, they can save families Thousands of dollars On bills in the long run. Delaski argued that efficiency standards also provide other benefits to consumers. He said: “Today’s highly efficient products, whether we are talking about light bulbs, clothing washing machines or shower heads, perform well and in many cases better than the ineffective products they replaced.”

While the Energy and Conservation Policy Law It prevents the government from weakening the criteria For the already appointed devices, Delaski said it was concerned that the Trump administration is looking for a way to overcome this. “I think all criteria are at risk of undermining, fraud, not their application,” he said.

Recently, Republicans have targeted the rules of competence specified at the end of the Biden administration. Due to the Congress Review Law, Congress can review and cancel the list issued in the last 60 legislative days – a period extending to last summer – with a simple majority vote. So far, Republicans have not only voted to cancel competency standards Gas water heaters Under this rule, but also Commercial cooling equipment and Walking cooler For restaurants, stores, and grocery stores. The rules of competence approved under the Biden administration alone will provide families $ 107 every year over the next two decades, according to what he said. Appreciation from the awareness project of devicesProviding a group of business owners $ 2 billion each year.

These recent moves by Republicans show that what began as a battle about “consumer choice” has expanded a greater attack on efficiency as a goal. “I do not think that the entrances in the cultural war,” Dellaski said. “Trying to pressure to eliminate these public standards is really wide, not just about shower heads, refrigerators or dishwashers.”

This article was originally appeared in Barrier in https://grist.org/Politics. Grist is a non -profit and independent media organization dedicated to the novel of climate solution stories and a just future. Learn more in Grist.org.