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Originally Posted by Xenophon
But note that "legislating incandescent bulbs right off the shelves" isn't an optimum solution either. For example, the lightbulb in my unfinished attic hasn't been changed in more than 20 years -- it was there when we bought the house and has yet to burn out.
When it finally does burn out, it makes good economic sense to replace it with the bulb that has the cheapest up-front cost! It is used so rarely that the up-front cost absolutely dominates any possible energy savings from using a more efficient bulb. So why does it make sense to require me to replace it with a CFL at 5x the price (or more!)???
Xenophon
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By the time that bulb burns out, the cf and led bulbs will have faded to a more economical bulb with a smaller embedded energy value. And that same incandescent bulb in your attic might consume more than your whole house will!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
The United States is (again) at a crossroads: We must alter our debt management systems, our personal living systems, our civic systems, our transportation systems, our power systems, and our work systems, and we need to do them all now, before we as a nation plunge over the abyss. Americans are directly responsible for many of the problems we face... like someone who recklessly runs up the limit on their credit card, we have used up our credit, and now the bill is due.
But Americans are also notorious for their fervent aversion to admitting they have done anything wrong, and therefore anything that must be changed. And Americans as individuals are notorious for talking the talk, but not walking the walk, and "letting everyone else take action." It seems every American has an excuse for why they can not recycle, or take a bus, or drive a smaller car, or use CFL lightbulbs, or turn down their thermostat, even while their neighbors ably manage to do those things. Americans have become the ultimate isolationists: Once their front door is closed, they are on sovereign territory, and no one can tell them what to do.
But if we as a nation do not do these things, we face complete collapse... and may take the rest of the world with us.
So: How do we convince Americans that we all need to take action, even when we do not want to, for the good of a planet? How do we invoke the "S" word--sacrifice--without being labeled "communist" and run out of town on a rail? How do we get a nation of people together, who do not seem to want to have anything to do with each other?
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The US is a great nation of builders. Unfortunately, purposes other than growing, such as expansion by taking, have been set on them to continue, to a point where leaders and heads had only pilfering in mind for sport.
But lately a great man came who will refocus the challenge and take back the colours of meaning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pilotbob
Interesting. I am waiting for this http://zeropollutionmotors.us/ . But you are right. Why don't Ford or GM go out there and get this and bring it to market much sooner. Also, with a "big" name (not bankrupt yet) car maker building and selling it the market acceptance would be much higher.
BOb |
Wagonner has one day said that "GM will never build a small engine". That says a lot about the philosophy of thinking behind that company. And he is not alone.
You've all heard about the movie "Who killed the electric car."? Well GM will do it again by charging 45K for one?!?
The original site is
http://www.theaircar.com
The cars were invented by a French engineer called Guy Negre more than 10 years ago. I've signed a promise of purchase for one of those cars when they get here.
The concept of the engine is fascinating and turns around the fact that air explodes, like fuel, at compressions around 30:1.
On an other note, electric cars
should be sold with a solar powered station.
Two of my favorite sites are:
http://www.autobloggreen.com and
http://www.homepower.com (Their links pages at the end are phenomenal)