Earth Hour is a waste of time and energy
I just want to say that Earth Hour is just a waste of everyone’s time. Turning off power for one hour on a Saturday evening around the world is a novel idea, but it won’t do anything to reduce carbon emissions.
It is just a symbolic ploy by people who have no clue how energy is developed, generated, and distributed.
For those of you who don’t know, Earth Hour is an international event that asks households and businesses to turn off their lights and non-essential electrical appliances for one hour on the evening of 29 March at 8 pm local time until 9 pm to promote electricity conservation and thus lower carbon emissions. (Wikipedia)
Power companies plan their power generation based on historical averages and will have that power available to deliver during Earth Hour whether it is used or not. They will also have reserves available in case demand is greater than the historical averages.
So turning off your power and non-essential appliances for an hour will not save any electricity or reduce carbon emissions for that one hour. Nice idea, just wrong.
A more novel approach is to get people to reduce their consumption permanently. People should replace all their light bulbs with CFL’s and make sure your appliances are energy star compliant. (My family has.)
There should also be better ways to generate power individually. I am thinking the cost of putting solar panels on our homes should be cheaper. It shouldn’t cost $20,000 to $30,000 to do this. My parents just did this and it was nothing but a hassle to get it installed and for PG&E to get it hooked up to the grid.
We should use water efficiently in our homes and we should reduce the impact of our vehicles by combining as many trips as possible or by taking public transportation. (I just wish public transportation was a lot better in Denver than it is.)
By doing what we can do as individuals and as a society, we can have a bigger impact on energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions than the Earth Hour claims to do tonight.
Daylight Savings Time Begins…
Well this is the second time that Daylight Savings Time is beginning the second Sunday in March. Even though I like the sun being out later, it is quite dark in the morning.
I have been quite exhausted at work and this will only intensify this week because of the lost hour of sleep tonight.
Congress passed the new Daylight Savings Time rules as part of the Energy Bill a couple of years ago to save energy. But there are reports recently that more energy is used than saves because we switch so early.
As mentioned earlier I like the sun, but I am not sure it is worth the additional energy.
Home thermostats: Big Brother’s next target?
Home thermostats: Big Brother’s next target? - Engadget
As reported on Engadget, the state of California is considering whether or not to require a thermostat that they can control in times of need to raise or lower the temperature to help reduce load.
This sounds and means well, but won’t work and is an invasion of what temperature I want my house set at. Don’t get me wrong, we should be doing whatever we can to reduce our energy footprint, but if want my temperature set at a temperature, the government shouldn’t set it for me. I have even installed a programmable thermostat to help us better manage the temperature in our house.
There are many reasons why I want a temperature set where I want it. For me, I have an elderly family member living with me and she needs the temperature a little higher in the winter and cooler in the summer. It just something she needs.
The temperature in our house should be managed by the homeowner, not the government. The government should be working to better develop the energy in the state so their is enough, not reducing or increasing the temperatures remotely.
Where’s That Energy Bill? - New York Times
Where’s That Energy Bill? - New York Times
This is a great editorial from the New York Times. This was a highly anticipated bill, but it has fallen into some hidden office in the Capital.
Since the oil prices are going through the roof and the public has an increased awareness of energy issues, it would be the perfect time for Congress to take action.
But Congress is more divided than they ever have been in their history. It used to be the different sides of the aisle would fight on the floor of the House or Senate, but they respected each other to sit down out of the public eye and would work out a solution that everyone could handle.
But because they can’t get along, Americans will suffer.
We will not have solutions to the energy crisis that we are facing now. America needs to take action and the table is set for Congress to take action. But they are choosing to fight on the playground instead of coming home and sitting down and having dinner.
Penn and Teller - The Truth of Bottled Water
This is a great reason why you shouldn’t drink bottled water. There is no difference and it is not safer or cleaner than tap water. In fact, most of the bottled water is coming from tap water.
Most of the major bottlers of water are now going to list where they get the water, Aquafina is one of them. See this story that was on Today,
“Is your bottled water coming from a faucet?”
Here is the Penn and Teller video on bottled water:
This does not take into account the plastic bottles that never ever get recycled.
Mayor Newsom prohibits city departments from using bottled water
Mayor Newsom prohibits city departments from using bottled water - KGPE - CBS TV47
Even though I don’t believe in bottled water, it may be the only solution for some people and offices.
I think an outright ban to combat global warming is a little stretch though seeing that most of those bottles are recycled and not new plastic.
Only in San Francisco.
The Denver Post - Credit-card hitch at pump
The Denver Post - Credit-card hitch at pump
Credit Card companies have a policy in place that limits the amount that you can purchase with a credit card at the pump.
Since the price of gas is going through the roof, coming down a little now, many more people are hitting those limits. I haven’t personally hit that limit and I am paying more than $50 for a tank of gas. Read more
Flickr Photos
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