More Stringent Appliance Standards Announced for Home Water Heaters
The US Department of Energy announced new standards for the existing minimum conservation standards for three types of heating products - residential water heaters, pool heaters, and direct heating equipment such as gas fireplaces -  which account for about 18 percent of energy use in homes across the country.

Scientists and Weathercasters at Odds on Warming
NY Times (Registration Required)
Climatologists, who study weather patterns over time, almost universally endorse the view that the earth is warming and that humans have contributed to climate change. Meteorologists, who predict short-term weather patterns, are not so sure.

Audit Finds Vulnerability in ENERGY STAR Program
NY Times (Registration Required
According to the NY Times, a nine month study conducted by Congressional auditors revealed unsettling information about the ENERGY STAR program, and its label that so many have relied upon to guide their purchasing decisions.  The Energy Department promised to set up a system of independent verification for all products.

Clotheslines Blowing Through Culture Again
Richmond-Times Dispatch
The simple, nostalgic act of hanging clothes outside to dry, regaining popularity as an eco-friendly act, has become a full-blown political flap.