Post by Madhatter on Jul 15, 2006 15:39:31 GMT
"The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that if everyone used high efficency lighting products, like compact fluorescent lights, we could reduce the amount of electricity needed for lighting by 50%. Also, recycling efforts would be helped since there would be 10 times fewer old bulbs to throw out."
"if everyone in Europe switched we'd save 28 mega tonnes of CO2 - the output of 12 medium sized power plants." - Friend of the Earth
"Outdated street lamps consume twice as much electricity as necessary - hitting local authorities and tax payers" - Friends of the Earth
Gordon Brown wants to put a tax on light bulb so the the price of ordinary light bulbs are to nearer that of the low energy type bulbs(CFL-Compact Flourescent Lamp). He says that this is to encourage people to use the low energy ones in a bid to combat global warming, and to reduce the amount of energy that people use
Others such as dr mat prescott would like the traditional light bulb banned altogether. I have read with interest on two other forums misinformed opinions on the governments proposals.
Most people don't know it but there are already rules for new house builds that insist on at least two light fittings being only able to take low energy lamps, these are either special light fittings or a normal looking lamp holder that will only accept a special bulb because the side pins are different.
Problem with this is that I have yet to see these special bulbs on sale anywhere.
read this, and the link
"In February, Dr Matt Prescott used the Green Room to call for the traditional light bulb to be banned. This week, he responds to some of the comments and questions raised by readers.
The environmental costs of lighting should be shared by all light bulbs, if well-intentioned laws are not to hinder efforts to save energy
Today, nobody misses CFC-based aerosol technology or even notices that other technologies have taken their place.
When applied to incandescent light bulbs, I had no idea what the response would be to the idea of taxing, phasing out and banning another cheap and familiar technology.
Especially when this technology was more indirectly responsible for altering the composition of the Earth's atmosphere, and there was more complexity and uncertainty associated with understanding, and tackling, climate change.
According to the feedback I have received, some people have changed all the bulbs in their houses and said they will never look back.
Others have said that their light bulbs don't waste energy, but help to heat their houses, or that an energy-saving light bulb cannot be used with a dimmer switch.
Here, I will attempt to address these and other points. "
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4922496.stm
" Given the huge subsidies awarded to the nuclear industry and to coal production in western nations, it is clear that the funds necessary to provide a financial kick-start certainly exist.
In 2002, the UK government spent £410m on bailing out its near-bankrupt nuclear sector.
That would be more than enough to supply every household in Britain with three energy-saving light bulbs.
As former US President Bill Clinton pointed out at the UN climate negotiations in Montreal, helping the environment does not have to harm the economy.
In fact, a well planned, regulated and enforced energy-efficiency campaign could reduce waste and pollution, save money, create new jobs and stimulate innovation. "
I heard the other day that the government will be building wind farms by all new nuclear power stations so that if something should go wrong the windmills can be used to blow the pollution over to france.
The government continue back nuclear power, probably because of the nimby's, whinash in cumbria is a remote site that is perfect for a wind farm, but locals don't want it.
"But Whinash is the perfect site, counters Steve Molloy, project manager for West Coast Energy, agents for the wind farm developers Falck.
The wind resource here is excellent, and this is a very remote site," he insists.
"The wind farm would have no ecological impact. The land here does have its merits, but it's hardly of the same value as the Lake District National Park. It basically consists of acid grassland and some blanket bog."
Local chocolate maker David Kennedy vehemently disagrees.
He runs Kennedy's Fine Chocolates in Orton. In this village of just 300, his cosy shop employs 20 - making this a vital local business.
"Tourists are not just the icing on the cake for us - they are our bread and butter.
"Even a small fall in numbers could really affect our business," he worries.
"If the wind farm was put up and fewer tourists came, that would have a big impact.
"We might have to move and not all our staff could move with us. I am all in favour of renewable energy, but if the area became carpeted with wind turbines, I wouldn't want to work here."
Chocolate factory owner David Kennedy opposes the plan
Similar struggles are being waged across the country in the increasingly heated debate over how to fulfil Britain's Kyoto commitments to bring down greenhouse gas emissions.
Britain has committed itself to getting 10% of its energy from renewable sources by 2010, and twice that at by 2020. But these ambitious targets may not be reached if opposition to wind-farms continues, says Steve Molloy.
"If sites like Whinash are not deemed suitable for wind farms," he warns, "the government can kiss goodbye to any targets it has.
"At the moment, wind power is the only renewable energy able to meet those short-term targets. "
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4437501.stm
"if everyone in Europe switched we'd save 28 mega tonnes of CO2 - the output of 12 medium sized power plants." - Friend of the Earth
"Outdated street lamps consume twice as much electricity as necessary - hitting local authorities and tax payers" - Friends of the Earth
Gordon Brown wants to put a tax on light bulb so the the price of ordinary light bulbs are to nearer that of the low energy type bulbs(CFL-Compact Flourescent Lamp). He says that this is to encourage people to use the low energy ones in a bid to combat global warming, and to reduce the amount of energy that people use
Others such as dr mat prescott would like the traditional light bulb banned altogether. I have read with interest on two other forums misinformed opinions on the governments proposals.
Most people don't know it but there are already rules for new house builds that insist on at least two light fittings being only able to take low energy lamps, these are either special light fittings or a normal looking lamp holder that will only accept a special bulb because the side pins are different.
Problem with this is that I have yet to see these special bulbs on sale anywhere.
read this, and the link
"In February, Dr Matt Prescott used the Green Room to call for the traditional light bulb to be banned. This week, he responds to some of the comments and questions raised by readers.
The environmental costs of lighting should be shared by all light bulbs, if well-intentioned laws are not to hinder efforts to save energy
Today, nobody misses CFC-based aerosol technology or even notices that other technologies have taken their place.
When applied to incandescent light bulbs, I had no idea what the response would be to the idea of taxing, phasing out and banning another cheap and familiar technology.
Especially when this technology was more indirectly responsible for altering the composition of the Earth's atmosphere, and there was more complexity and uncertainty associated with understanding, and tackling, climate change.
According to the feedback I have received, some people have changed all the bulbs in their houses and said they will never look back.
Others have said that their light bulbs don't waste energy, but help to heat their houses, or that an energy-saving light bulb cannot be used with a dimmer switch.
Here, I will attempt to address these and other points. "
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4922496.stm
" Given the huge subsidies awarded to the nuclear industry and to coal production in western nations, it is clear that the funds necessary to provide a financial kick-start certainly exist.
In 2002, the UK government spent £410m on bailing out its near-bankrupt nuclear sector.
That would be more than enough to supply every household in Britain with three energy-saving light bulbs.
As former US President Bill Clinton pointed out at the UN climate negotiations in Montreal, helping the environment does not have to harm the economy.
In fact, a well planned, regulated and enforced energy-efficiency campaign could reduce waste and pollution, save money, create new jobs and stimulate innovation. "
I heard the other day that the government will be building wind farms by all new nuclear power stations so that if something should go wrong the windmills can be used to blow the pollution over to france.
The government continue back nuclear power, probably because of the nimby's, whinash in cumbria is a remote site that is perfect for a wind farm, but locals don't want it.
"But Whinash is the perfect site, counters Steve Molloy, project manager for West Coast Energy, agents for the wind farm developers Falck.
The wind resource here is excellent, and this is a very remote site," he insists.
"The wind farm would have no ecological impact. The land here does have its merits, but it's hardly of the same value as the Lake District National Park. It basically consists of acid grassland and some blanket bog."
Local chocolate maker David Kennedy vehemently disagrees.
He runs Kennedy's Fine Chocolates in Orton. In this village of just 300, his cosy shop employs 20 - making this a vital local business.
"Tourists are not just the icing on the cake for us - they are our bread and butter.
"Even a small fall in numbers could really affect our business," he worries.
"If the wind farm was put up and fewer tourists came, that would have a big impact.
"We might have to move and not all our staff could move with us. I am all in favour of renewable energy, but if the area became carpeted with wind turbines, I wouldn't want to work here."
Chocolate factory owner David Kennedy opposes the plan
Similar struggles are being waged across the country in the increasingly heated debate over how to fulfil Britain's Kyoto commitments to bring down greenhouse gas emissions.
Britain has committed itself to getting 10% of its energy from renewable sources by 2010, and twice that at by 2020. But these ambitious targets may not be reached if opposition to wind-farms continues, says Steve Molloy.
"If sites like Whinash are not deemed suitable for wind farms," he warns, "the government can kiss goodbye to any targets it has.
"At the moment, wind power is the only renewable energy able to meet those short-term targets. "
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4437501.stm
