The Australian government has made a truly enlightened decision - no seriously - an announced that they will phase out old fashioned incandescant light bulbs within three years, to be replaced by energy efficient compact fluorescents. This is being quoted as expecting to reduce CO2 emissions by 800,000 tons per year - which isnt that much, but its a decent old chunk - the equivelant to the total amount put out by Eritrea or Belize.
This is not the biggest move, but its a smart, obvious low hanging fruit to be picked. Everyone should do it.
This also fits well with my general feeling towards sustainability. Pushing sustainability as a "punishment" - you cant have this, do less of that - just will not work. It might even be the truth, but it will not achieve the intended goal. Sustainability should be associated with a better deal, not a worse one (and no, not a better deal in the broader, intangible sense of "saving the planet"). Better in terms of just a plain better moment to moment experience.
Things that are efficient and well designed and don't belch and burn and crank and generally chugg along like industrial revolution era machinery are cool. Silent, smooth, clean, smart things are cool. Burning huge piles of coal or massive volumes of natural gas isnt just bad for the environment. Its dumb and ugly. Nuclear, wind, geothermic power.....they are cool for way more interesting and important reasons than that they reduce greenhouse emmissions.
Little things like light bulbs are important because they are such everyday visualisations of the technology that surrounds us. While they are still just filaments heated white-hot by electricity, pretty much as Edison designed them, it says something. Now look at the insides, and the outside, of a compact fluorescent bulb. You'll know what I'm talking about. Just plain cooler.
Anyhow, hats off to the Aussie government on this one. I wouldnt have expected it, coming from them. Even if it is some cynical political manouvering or whatever, it is still great.
This is not the biggest move, but its a smart, obvious low hanging fruit to be picked. Everyone should do it.
This also fits well with my general feeling towards sustainability. Pushing sustainability as a "punishment" - you cant have this, do less of that - just will not work. It might even be the truth, but it will not achieve the intended goal. Sustainability should be associated with a better deal, not a worse one (and no, not a better deal in the broader, intangible sense of "saving the planet"). Better in terms of just a plain better moment to moment experience.
Things that are efficient and well designed and don't belch and burn and crank and generally chugg along like industrial revolution era machinery are cool. Silent, smooth, clean, smart things are cool. Burning huge piles of coal or massive volumes of natural gas isnt just bad for the environment. Its dumb and ugly. Nuclear, wind, geothermic power.....they are cool for way more interesting and important reasons than that they reduce greenhouse emmissions.
Little things like light bulbs are important because they are such everyday visualisations of the technology that surrounds us. While they are still just filaments heated white-hot by electricity, pretty much as Edison designed them, it says something. Now look at the insides, and the outside, of a compact fluorescent bulb. You'll know what I'm talking about. Just plain cooler.
Anyhow, hats off to the Aussie government on this one. I wouldnt have expected it, coming from them. Even if it is some cynical political manouvering or whatever, it is still great.
isnt the ABC link-dump due sometime soon gara?
hope all else is going well with ya mate.