[mythtv-users] [Slightly OT] solar power for all our gadgets

[Brian Wood]

On Friday 20 March 2009 09:54:26 Simon Hobson wrote:

> As I said before, any study that concludes "CFLs save 80%, therefore
> <some conclusion>" is not worth the paper it's written on.

> Don't get me wrong. What I am NOT saying is that CFLs don't save
> energy overall. What I AM saying is that it's not 80% (even leaving
> out all production and shipping costs) in a great many cases.

One big problem, at least in my case, is that so much of the information I 
receive comes from the folks trying to sell me CFL lamps. Obviously they have 
the most at stake, and perhaps some motivation to not tell me the whole 
truth.

Some things just should not be profit driven. Expecting the Wall-Street types 
to actually consider the future of the panet is unrealistic, and there is 
little motivation to provide me with real science and not propoganda.

As an old debater I realize that it would not be hard to put together an 
argument that incandescent lamps are the better answer, or that whale oil 
lamps are the best for that matter (cleaner burning than coal or oil power 
plants).

If the primary motive is to make money, and not to help the planet, we will 
never get the true picture.

An example is the insulated water-heater "blankets". All they can possibly do 
is slow the heat loss, not prevent it. If the tank is located where it will 
do the most good, heat-wise, the otherwise wasted heat will help heat the 
home (assuming heating is needed). Putting it in a basement or other 
unconditioned space guarantees the heat will be wasted, perhaps more slowly, 
but wasted.

But the information I get about such blankets comes from people trying to make 
a profit from my purchase of such a blanket, whether I really need it or not.

-- 
beww
beww at beww.org