1. ENERGY EFFICIENCY:
Some lawmakers sympathetic as electronics makers challenge Energy Star changes
The curly-cursive-script Energy Star logo, which the government says four out of five Americans now recognize, is the most widely known symbol of the federal government's push to help Americans use less energy. But the simple blue seal, designed in 1992 as a way for appliance makers to convince buyers that their products don't waste electricity, is losing some of its luster in the eyes of the electronics industry and lawmakers on Capitol Hill.