Energy Star Program Certifies 15 Out of 20 Bogus Products

longacre writes "A Gasoline-Powered Alarm Clock was among 15 bogus products granted the coveted Energy Star seal of approval by the US Environmental Protection Agency during a secret evaluation conducted by the Government Accountability Office. In addition, four fictional manufacturers run by fake people and marketed with crummy websites — Cool Rapport (HVAC equipment), Futurizon Solar Innovations (lighting), Spartan Digital Electronics, and Tropical Thunder Appliances — were granted Energy Star partnerships. The root of the problem: Manufacturers need only submit photos and not actual examples of their products, and they submit their own efficiency ratings, which are not independently verified by the EPA."

Re:Like patents

[Anonymous Coward]

God damn, BadAnalogyGuy. You deserve to no longer be at -1 if you keep your posts up like this one. That really was a good analogy.

Re:Like patents

[santax]

Neh that's totally different. I'm pretty sure there are no bogus patents.

Re:Like patents

[NewbieProgrammerMan]

You'd think that they wouldn't default to giving away their (supposedly) valuable seal of approval, though. Most bureaucracies I've dealt with personally just ignored you if too many applications meant they would have to stay past 4pm.

Anyway, way to go GAO. It sounds like somebody in there has a fun job-- "Johnson, I need you to create some idiotic-sounding products and set up fake companies to go with them."

Re:So, its a marketing label only

[mysidia]

Ah, but they are energy efficient.............. compared to a short circuit, or a 100 ohm resistor in parallel with the device.

Re:So, its a marketing label only

[Black Gold Alchemist]

Especially because it amounts to turning down the radio in a hummer to save gas.

The question is,

[mobby_6kl]

Where the hell can I buy the gasoline powered alarm clock? That's an awesome idea and I don't care how many energy stars it gets, I just want it right now.

Cool!

[Un pobre guey]

Now I can get an Energy Star rating for my line of fusion energy powered penis implants and Clean Coal powered lawn mowers.

Re:So, its a marketing label only

[Sir_Lewk]

They should tax having sex. After all, babies are made of carbon.

gasoline alarm clock

[gomatt]

i had a friend with a gasoline powered alarm clock. he started it up when we went to sleep. guess its no good, because no matter how loud it was, he never woke up.

Re:So, its a marketing label only

[DarkKnightRadick]

Hey, you insensitive clod, I'm a /.er that has had sex!