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19 Oct 05 US says Fans, other Appliances must use Less Energy Story by Lisa Lambert ENN website 20 Oct 05 Saving the Planet at Flick of Switch By Jeremy Lovell, Reuters LONDON — Eve Black always turns the light off when she leaves a room and never leaves the TV on standby -- and she wishes others would follow suit. "I do it automatically because I know it is important," the 17-year-old student said. "It may not seem that one person can make much of a difference. But every little bit helps." Black is among a growing band of young people in Britain who have been made abruptly aware of the problems of climate change as a result of campaigns by nongovernmental organizations, scientists and celebrities. Experts say a television left on standby will still consume about one-third of the power it uses when the screen is active and that in Britain alone this amounts to $87 million a year in wasted electricity. Scientists say the burning of fossil fuels for travel and electricity generation is creating vast amounts of so-called greenhouse gases that are heating the planet, melting ice caps and putting millions of people at risk of drowning. Global warming has also been blamed for increased cycles of drought across Africa, where millions this year face hunger. For Black, it is not a matter of making people in the rich, developed world suddenly feel guilty for the lives of others in parts of the world they are barely aware of and will never visit -- that would simply be too overwhelming. "It has to start at home. You can't just say people are dying in Africa because you leave the light on -- what are you going to do about it? It will daunt them," the teen-ager said. "It is the small steps that will make the big difference -- Turn off the light, don't leave the television on standby. That will save you money and help save the planet." BOOMING DEMAND World demand for electricity is forecast to double between 1990 and 2020. This is partly as a result of rising living standards in the developing world, where millions of people still don't have electricity, and partly because the population is forecast to climb toward 9 billion from the current 6 billion. World leaders are casting around urgently for power sources that don't fuel global warming -- with the nuclear industry experiencing renewed interest. But at the other end of the scale there is a push for efficiency. Possible solutions were debated at a recent conference of city environmental leaders from around the world. Melbourne's new city hall will have state-of-the-art environmental credentials, Geoff Lawler, director of sustainability and innovation in the Australian city, told the London meeting. He said the new building would use 85 percent less electricity and 87 percent less gas than its predecessor as well as emitting 87 percent less greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Although, the building will cost 18 percent more to build than current norms, it will pay for itself rapidly, he said. Action is also being taken in other areas. San Francisco already recycles 67 percent of its waste and aims to do it all by 2020, Jared Blumenfeld, director of the city's environment department, told the London meeting. By comparison Britain recycles just 17 percent of its waste. NO-BRAINER But it is not just governments, or even corporations, that must act. Individuals also have a responsibility. Britain's Energy Saving Trust (EST) said insulating walls and lofts in private houses would not only save money and lead to lower energy bills, it would also reduce demand for electricity. "Even turning down the thermostat on the central heating by just one degree will save 10 percent on the heating bill," Keith Marsh, head of energy efficiency at the nonprofit EST, said. Turning off unnecessary lights and unwatched televisions, using low-energy light bulbs, replacing old electrical appliances like fridges with newer energy-efficient machines and buying better boilers would all cut household bills and demand. "It is a really important and serious issue," Marsh told Reuters. "People can save themselves a lot of money by taking these small steps and it is critically important for the future of the world that they do so. It is a no-brainer" For Eve Black, whose generation will have to shoulder the burden of the decisions taken now by political leaders but who have no say in those decisions, it is time to act. "Governments must lead the way, not spend their time worrying about losing votes by telling people they have to change the way they live. It is far bigger than that," she said. "People have to be aware that they can't keep on living as they are. It is a lifestyle choice they have to make. Eventually it will become second nature." PlanetArk 19 Oct 05 US says Fans, other Appliances must use Less Energy Story by Lisa Lambert WASHINGTON - The US Department of Energy Tuesday ordered the manufacturers of more than a dozen appliances and products, ranging from traffic signals to commercial ice makers, to create products that use less energy. A broad energy bill passed by the Congress and signed into law this summer required the department to develop energy efficiency standards for 15 residential and commercial appliances. "We put tougher efficiency standards in the energy bill so we could get dramatic energy savings to the consumers faster," said Senate Energy Committee Chairman Pete Domenici, welcoming the department's action. "If we hadn't mandated new standards in the bill, the administrative process for raising these standards could have taken years." Under the new regulations, ceiling fans and their lighting kits must be manufactured to use less energy, and the rules will also apply to commercial air conditioning and heating equipment. For smaller products, such as illuminated "Exit" signs posted in buildings, the regulations go into effect in 2006. For larger appliances like commercial refrigerators and clothes washers, manufacturers have until 2010 to comply. According to the DOE, there is no requirement for consumers to replace existing equipment before the time that they would normally replace those appliances or pieces of equipment. The nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates that by 2020 the stricter standards will save consumers $8.24 billion per year, and reduce peak power demand by 30,227 megawatts. That is equal to the amount of electricity produced by 100 power plants, said Lowell Ungar, senior policy analyst for the Alliance to Save Energy, a coalition of business, government and environmental leaders. "In terms of energy efficiency these standards are the most important piece of the energy bill," Ungar said. "They will save consumers money, they will reduce global warming, they will reduce strain on the electric grid." The Energy Department was unable to provide information on how much less energy the regulations would require the specific appliances to use, said spokesperson Chris Kielich. links Related articles on Global: general environmental issues |
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