Energy efficiency at home… where's the low hanging fruit in California?

Just to kick things off, here's a short query on why electrical goods do not carry energy ratings. I doubt this is just particular to California. In the EU, energy labels on white goods, cars and light bulbs have been mandatory for some years now but the system is not without its flaws. George Monbiot has written at length about the weaknesses in the European system.

But it does mean that companies can no longer manufacture without energy data for the consumer, and that has to be a good thing.

Is there really nothing comparable in California? When I asked the very nice assistant in my local Best Buy shop yesterday which was the more energy efficient heater between the oil and air (fan) room heaters, he said: "Well the advantage of the oil heater is that you can leave it on and go out of the house without worrying about it."