Author |
Topic |
chiragkhabaria
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
1907 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 05:28:14
|
Hello All, I dont know how many of you have seen, but you got to watch the movie An Inconvenient truth by Al Gore ..its scary……. You can get the detail about it on this link… [url]http://www.climatecrisis.net[/url]Here are some of the tips which I grabbed from the site.. have a look [url]http://www.climatecrisis.net/pdf/10things.pdf[/url]Chiraghttp://chirikworld.blogspot.com/ |
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 05:46:25
|
"10things.pdf"Been doing most of those for years. Nonetheless we have reduced our household energy usage by 30% in the last year, and are trying to do that again this year - with solar water heating, and water recycling.Hopefully we can look to wind generation the year after, or failing that combined heat&power with a neighbour using discarded oil - e.g. chip fat or somesuch.Get an electricity monitor so you can get anal about how much you are using, and turn stuff off all the time. The kids are good at that game of course ...http://www.clifford-james.co.uk/ProductDetailInfoWithoutOptions.cfm?ID=D2297&ShopRef=72&Prime=Yes&shopListRec=36719Kristen |
 |
|
b.veenings
Yak Posting Veteran
96 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 06:03:15
|
quote: Originally posted by KristenGet an electricity monitor so you can get anal about how much you are using, and turn stuff off all the time. The kids are good at that game of course ...http://www.clifford-james.co.uk/ProductDetailInfoWithoutOptions.cfm?ID=D2297&ShopRef=72&Prime=Yes&shopListRec=36719
Nice piece of equipment, i already check my tires every month and drive all the time with an half full gasolinetank, so my car does use less gasoline because it's lighter it's efficient for 10%.Now hope that the U.s and China also sign the kyoto document. that will surely help for the whole planet.BenNeed an SQLDB consultant?check www.veeningsengineering.nl |
 |
|
chiragkhabaria
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
1907 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 06:13:02
|
Now hope that the U.s and China also sign the kyoto document. that will surely help for the whole planet.Its US and Australia.. China has already signed the protocol [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kyoto_Protocol_signatories[/url]Chiraghttp://www.chirikworld.com |
 |
|
b.veenings
Yak Posting Veteran
96 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 06:15:42
|
oops i thought china still didn't and i ment US:-)Need an SQLDB consultant?check www.veeningsengineering.nl |
 |
|
spirit1
Cybernetic Yak Master
11752 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 06:21:06
|
well kyoto is just about obsolete...the intereseting thing is that over 70% (i think) people don't believe in global warming... have to find an article i read..._______________________________________________Causing trouble since 1980blog: http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/mladenp |
 |
|
b.veenings
Yak Posting Veteran
96 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 06:53:30
|
those people are the biggest idiots on this planet, you can not get around what happened with katrina and hurricanes. an piece of ice that has the size of a whole country thats has been broken from greenland.in holland it is normal to have till 25 degrees in summertime, now we have in 3 years in a row days with 35 degrees in summertime, not all the time but it is enough to see that we are facing a big problem, and warm winters with 10 degrees instead of -3 till -5.here we now have animals that should be living in south europe instead of north.BenNeed an SQLDB consultant?check www.veeningsengineering.nl |
 |
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 07:04:20
|
None of that is statistically significant.But even for people who don't believe in the consequences of global warming the increasing cost of energy, as fossil fuels run out, is going to make them want to Save, Reuse and Recycle ...Amazes me amongst my [well educated] friends how little they are doing. There will come a price point where to maintain their standard of living they will have to make changes.Kristen |
 |
|
spirit1
Cybernetic Yak Master
11752 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 07:27:46
|
there is one thing that pisses me off immensly.why do people keep the water running when brushing their teeth???_______________________________________________Causing trouble since 1980blog: http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/mladenp |
 |
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 07:54:08
|
Indeed. There was a TV program a while back and a Gay couple took part. The "energy consultant" told them how much water they were wasting - including telling them not to flush the loo when they had a Pee. They were horrified! but after a week or so they were hooked, amazed at home much water they had saved, and they then set about educating the whole block of flats they lived in. The overall saving was extraordinary - water usage reduced by 80% or somesuch huge figure.Kristen |
 |
|
spirit1
Cybernetic Yak Master
11752 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 08:40:18
|
hmm not flushing when you pee... that's why you have those double (what do you call the thing that holds the water?)one "button" that releases a liter of water and the other that does the full flush._______________________________________________Causing trouble since 1980blog: http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/mladenp |
 |
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 08:57:16
|
"what do you call the thing that holds the water?"Dunno, "Short/Long Flush"??Still a litre-or-two wasted. [As a household] we've given up flushing just for a Pee. There was a show of hands at a recent "Gardener's Question Time" [Radio] for the number of people [men I suppose!] who go out last-thing-at-night to "assist" their Compost Heap. Very significant percentage of the audience did!Like much of the Climate Change Top Ten Tips its all a mater of Change and Change Management ...We have separate power switches for things that need to be left on (like the Satellite Recorder / Server PC boxes) and things that don't (TV, HiFi, Monitor, Printer, etc.) and thus we switch them off, rather than leave on standby, when we are not using).We still use an outrageous amount of electricity in this house, and it frustrates me given how much effort we have put into reducing it Kristen |
 |
|
blindman
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
2365 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 09:43:43
|
quote: Originally posted by Kristen Indeed. There was a TV program a while back and a Gay couple took part. The "energy consultant" told them how much water they were wasting - including telling them not to flush the loo when they had a Pee.
Interesting. "Don't ask, don't tell, don't flush?" If only there were something we heterosexuals could do to help out as well.e4 d5 xd5 Nf6 |
 |
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 10:18:15
|
I think the gays were more "sensitive" than the straight guys, so initially turned their noses up (so to speak!) more than the next guy might. But then they embraced the whole idea more enthusiastically than perhaps the next guy might! |
 |
|
readysetstop
Posting Yak Master
123 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 10:23:41
|
Working on global warming has a very low ROI. Far better at this time to put resources into AIDS prevention in Africa instead. Much better progress, faster.Not saying climate issues aren't a problem, but turning a few things off at night is going to have little to no impact on that, even large-scale, long-term. Changing how energy is produced would have a far greater impact, quicker than decreasing usage. We just need to make that profitable for the energy companies. And remember, the goal here is not to make things better, it's to keep them from getting worse. Too much the other way, and then we'll be talking about "Global Cooling"...Re: Hurricane Katrina - Tragic? Yes. Result of climate change? No. Result of poor engineering and lack of adequate infrastructure? Oh, definitely. There have been much more destructive hurricanes in Earth's history. (Galveston TX, anyone?)Big picture, folks. Big picture.(My $0.02)____________________________________________________________________________________"Believe in those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who say they have found it." -Andre Gide |
 |
|
jezemine
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
2886 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 10:28:05
|
quote: Originally posted by blindman If only there were something we heterosexuals could do to help out as well.
bike to work! I've been doing it for 13 years. plus it gives you shapely legs.  elsasoft.org |
 |
|
readysetstop
Posting Yak Master
123 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 10:34:50
|
quote: bike to work! I've been doing it for 13 years. plus it gives you shapely legs. 
I did that for quite a while, when I was about 5 miles from work. Only took about 20 - 30 minutes and it was a very scenic ride. 30 miles further now, doesn't seem like such a good idea anymore... ____________________________________________________________________________________"Believe in those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who say they have found it." -Andre Gide |
 |
|
Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)
7020 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 10:51:55
|
I don’t think there is any real question in the scientific community that there is global warming. The real question is what exactly causes it, and how much human activity actually contributes to the warming. The earth has periodic variations in global temperature and the real question is what exactly is causing it.That said, I see nothing wrong with anything that contributes to the efficient energy usage. Waste is waste.I do think some things that give people a good feeling are a bit questionable. Hybrid cars are more fuel efficient, but I am not sure there is a net gain after you consider the extra resources that go into making them, and the cost benefit is questionable also. There is a big push in the US to produce fuels from corn, but I question the benefit of that, especially when it helps to push up the price of food in a world where there are still people starving, and it takes almost as much fossil fuel to make it as the fuel it produces. Surely there is some plant that people can’t eat that could be turned into fuel I think there is a lot that can be done to make homes more fuel efficient that don’t cost a lot, like adding more insulation and stopping air leaks. It’s probably the best strategy overall; do the cheapest things with the most benefit first.I agree on Hurricane Katrina. The problem was caused by the extensive building of levies along the lower Mississippi that stopped the delivery of silt into river delta. The Mississippi delta is eroding away at a fantastic rate because of this. The root of the problem is an attempt to keep the Mississippi river from changing course, which it does about once every 1000 years. Since about 1950, it has been ready to change course to the west, but the Corp of Engineers has been attempting to stop it in order to save the cities or New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The economic reason for them to exist will go away once the river finally breaks out to the new channel, since they will no longer be ports on a major river. The effort to save them is doomed, since they can only stop the course change for a few more years.CODO ERGO SUM |
 |
|
readysetstop
Posting Yak Master
123 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 11:06:48
|
quote: Originally posted by Michael Valentine Jones That said, I see nothing wrong with anything that contributes to the efficient energy usage. Waste is waste.
I agree completely. Sorry if I sounded like I was stepping on those who are conserving. Nothing wrong with that at all. I'm just saying that it's not going to have a statistically significant impact on climate change, either in the short, or long term. Now, having a significant impact on my utility bills, there's something I can really get into. ____________________________________________________________________________________"Believe in those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who say they have found it." -Andre Gide |
 |
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 11:29:02
|
I don't have a problem with hybrid cars, growing corn for fuel (well, the price-pressure on food is bad, but the fact that it may take 99 gallons of fossil fuel to produce 100 gallons of Corn Fuel doesn't bother me).If you want to change something where the economies of scale have already been made, the thinking and political lobbying is entrenched, and the New Science is incomplete then you just have to make a start. If in a few years it doesn't work, or there is a better idea, then scrap the original and change horses. Its progress none-the-less. (An informed decision helps, but no one can back 100% winners)We have "Recycle" collections. Separate bins. Previously it was a "pink bag" that went in our normal bin. Goodness knows whether they were actually able to separate the pink bags, but I don't care; it got folks separating out the recyclables and in the meantime presumably the local authorities built a recycling factory (or whatever).And as for the Katrina thing .... we've had some floods over in the UK in the last few weeks. Turns out we've been building houses like they were going out of fashion lately, and the government thought the best place for these was ... Can you guess? Yup: On the flood plain. Doh!Once every 50 to 100 years we get a surge from the North Sea on the East Coast of the UK - the water pies up the Atlantic, round the top of the UK, and can't escape through t he tiny channel that separates England and France. The last time it happened was in the 1950's I think, thousands killed, floods tens of miles inland, and so on. Next time it happens it will be "global warming to blame" of course!I have a similar view on energy efficient light bulbs v. the old fashions "melt some tungsten". It saves a pitiful amount of energy. However, waste is waste as MVJ said, PLUS I think the Education part is key. I fuss at my family to turn things off. Probably saves $50 a year tops. But the kids are growing up with a mentality that wasting energy is bad for the planet (they get that at school too, not just from me!!) and when they grow up they will be far more responsible about it. Same as drink driving - each generation is more responsible because the situation they grew up with has been different - my parents generation had no restrictions until their middle age, my generation has had progressively lower limits imposed, and my kids will probably have a zero-limit and be much more responsible about it as a consequence.Lots of things take a generation or two to fix - best to start work on the education early IMHO.Kristen |
 |
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2007-07-09 : 11:50:18
|
"having a significant impact on my utility bills, there's something I can really get into"I want to put some Solar Water heating in this year.Cost is probably going to be GBP 5,000 - say US$ 10,000Saving is probably about GBP 500 p.a. So a 10 year payback (OK, so if fuel increases faster than inflation it could easily be less). Its not a very exciting ROI. However, it is 10% on my money, tax free. I suppose that's the way I should look at it, plus I can get a grant of about 8% - that's the bit I think the government should do more with. The Sales Tax is 17.5% here, if they made that 0% on this type of product that would make a really significant difference.Kristen |
 |
|
Next Page
|