Obama Raises the Cost of Carbon Emissions 60 Percent

The U.S. Department of Energy’s new efficiency standards for microwave ovens aren’t exactly a sizzling read. Amid the dry, technical language it’s easy to miss the significance of a few passages that the Obama administration tucked into the obscure regulation without consulting anyone. They amount to a sweeping change in the way the U.S. measures the effects of carbon emissions and will reverberate well beyond the kitchen.

The rule mandates cuts to “vampire” power, electricity the microwaves use in standby mode. Making them more energy-efficient will cost manufacturers and consumers about $1.3 billion over 30 years, the Energy Department says. But because the better appliances will cut carbon emissions and energy bills, the agency estimates there will be a $4.6 billion benefit to society.