Going Green

[Rocsta]

You've also got to consider practicality. While a TV doesn't take that long to switch on rather than come out of standby a Sky box or Telewest box takes a while and that's not very convenient is it?

Tbh I don't see how having a nice TV makes you some sort of eco-devil. While a big LCD or Plasma is surely a luxury I don't see it as being OTT or anything. I also think their comparison of LCD/Plasma vs CRT is somewhat off. With desktiop monitors LCD's crap all over CRT's for energy consumption.

I don't get why LCD/plasma displays are being singled out as the spawn of the devil compared to a CRT, I have a 14" CRT which uses 80W, a 17" LCD which uses 70W and a 25" CRT which uses 159W.While both CRTs use more than my small LCD, size for size LCD and plasma are more efficient.

LCD and plasma are picked on because they are large, not because they are any more inefficient than a CRT, plasmas are also not much, if at all worse than an equivalent size LCD as a plasma' power usage is variable and is determined by what is shown on screen, the darker the image (watch a lot of films made at night etc) the less power is used as opposed to an LCD which is constant due to the backlight always being on regardless what is on screen.

Sky boxes on the other hand are pretty wasteful as they consume the same power when in standby as when they are on (mine is 18W when on and 17W when in standby and 35W when using the modem, so a whole 1W saving in standby), they actually don't switch off at all when in standby and only turn off the audio/video output to your TV, the rest is still on so not much point putting in standby at all. The only way is to unplug it at the mains, but then it won't receive any over the air updates when they are sent which are received when in standby.

We have been making our green contributions too by recycling, energy saving bulbs, home made radiator reflector panels and either buying local organic produce or growing our own, I don't understand why food has to travel hundreds or thousands of miles when it's made on my doorstep. I have also been looking at getting a wind turbine, but still not convinced that the cost/savings return is quite there yet.

[Eki]

If oily oaf went green, he'd be olive oily oaf.

[oily oaf]

If oily oaf went green, he'd be olive oily oaf.

Oi! I bloody heard that

While I'm at it young man it may have escaped your notice but I enhanced your forum "rep" yesterday when I proclaimed one of your posts to be "reindeer lickin' good"

Have I received a reciprocal commendation?
Oh dear me no

[Caroline]

We have also been looking at the costs involved in getting a wind turbine. We made a trip to the Centre for Alternative Technology a few weeks back to get some ideas and inspiration. It's apparent that roof fixed panels to heat water won't work in this climate but turbines might work as we get plenty of wind.

We should all do as much as possible. It makes me angry that some countries don't adhere to the Kyoto Protocol but if we don't set an example, who will?

[fandango]

Coming from what was originally a very Catholic country, the "bag for life" idea is really nothing new

On a serious note, I don't think it matters much how much of the little things you do - all that saving by recycling and using low energy bulbs. It's industry and factories that are using the resources - and not just the ones in those other countries. We have to face up to that as a society and change things. Politicians have to make big and difficult decisions. We buy too much stuff. I don't believe that feeling you've done your bit is enough. In fact, it could lead to a complacency which is worse...

[schmenke]

[quote="fandango"]... We buy too much stuff...quote]

Exactly. We are a world of consumers, and we in the "West" consume the most.

[Alexamateo]

... We buy too much stuff...quote]

Exactly. We are a world of consumers, and we in the "West" consume the most.

The only problem with that attitude is that without consumerism, most of us would not have jobs

[viper_man]

A lot of it seems as though its just governments and politicians campaigning for votes and the like, but if they are dedicated then of course its a good thing.

It just all seems a bit hit and miss, a lot of it seems as though they dont have much of an idea about what to tax and what is greener than what etc.

Also, I beleive we may have left it too late already, and if not, then massively more drastic measures are needed to make the world a 'greener' place.

[Hawkmoon]

...........and yet a report last week, published by the Chinese government confirmed that they plan to build 526 coal-fired power stations in the next 20 years.

USA still refuses to acknowledge the benefits of the Kyoto Agreement, and therefore refuses to sign up to it, although primarily because of cost of implementation.

Former Eastern block countries such as Poland produce more pollutants in a day than some of the better countries across the world do in a week.

So, tell me, what is the point of me doing little things when not everyone else is doing the same thing?

This is exactly the problem. Kyoto is nice press but is ultimately a crock of sh!te that will no absolutely nothing to help the environment.

Australia has not signed up either and nor should we. It's not mentioned much but many countries who have signed Kyoto can actually increase their emmissions and still meet the targets set out under the protocol.

If Australia shut down every coal-fired powerplant in the country today, China would replace our emmsions in about 10 months. Does this sound like a viable long-term solution? It sure-as-Hell doesn't to me.

We can't place the blame on the developing world however. The likes of China and India are trying to catch up with the West in terms of standard of living and are doing the same things that the West has been doing since the Industrial Revolution. It is rather hypocritical of the West to tell China not to pollute when the West has been doing it for hundreds of years.

This is not to say that we should do nothing. We have to do something. I believe that we should be investing in technologies that remove carbon emissions from power plants before being released into the atmosphere. We also need to find an alternative to oil-based fuels for transportation. Just saying that we are only allowed to emit x tonnes of carbon is not the answer.

[fandango]

The only problem with that attitude is that without consumerism, most of us would not have jobs

It's not an attitude, it's a fact. Do you want a job or a planet?