I just read an interesting article from the FastCompany.com entitled "How Many Lightbulbs Does it take to Change the World? One. And you're looking at it" about how small actions can have a dramatic impact on larger issues.
The article itself revolves around the idea of replacing a single incandescent light bulb with a high efficiency CFL, or Compact Fluorescent Lamp. .
It's a simple concept really. The next time that you have a traditional light bulb burn out (of which I have had happen three times in just the past week), replace it with an equivalent CFL instead. It will cost more up front (between $2-$3), but most models have a life expectancy of at least 5 years. Many can last up to 8 years!
Don't worry about the initial cost though. Within about 5 months you will have recovered your initial cost in energy savings. How's that? Each CFL consumes about 75% less energy than it's equivalent incandescent bulb. If every home in the US, approximately 110 million of them, replaced just one traditional light bulb with a CFL, it would be the equivalent of taking 1.3 million cars off the road in terms of oil not used or greenhouse gases not emitted.
The article continues, stating that the average home contains about 50 - 100 light 'receptacles' or places that a light bulb can be screwed in. At first I thought this number was a little high, but I started a mental count of all the light bulbs in my home and ended up with about 35. I would have more, but I have fluorescent lights in my basement and office.
Imagine the energy savings in my own home by replacing all of these old lights with CFL's? Now imagine if all 110 million homes in America did the same?
We owe it to the next generation to take this simple step to start cutting our energy costs and help combat Global Warming. Even if you don't believe Global Warming is a threat, what harm comes from taking this step? At worst, you will have some extra money in your pocket.
Small changes can make a big difference. Make a change. Make a difference.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Convenient
When I first heard the news that a 'major' plot to blow up airplanes bound for the US from the UK, my first reaction was "how convenient." I know that this is in stark contrast to the rest of the country, whose responses were mostly along the lines "Thank god they caught them before they had a chance to go through with it."
It didn't take long for the GOP to raise the intensity of the protectionist drums that they have been beating ever since 9/11. No matter where you were or what you were watching, you'd hear about how the GOP has been protecting us and that the Democrats would just open the doors and let the terrorists do whatever they wanted.
My response to all of this was a bit removed from the mainstream. Like I said before, all I could think about was how convenient it was that we uncovered and stopped a major terrorist plot against the US.... 2 months before congressional elections. If you have heard anything about how the congressional races have been going, most of the GOP incumbents have been consitently behind their Democratic opponent in the polls for most of the race.
Here we are, a week after the terror 'scare', and USA Today has published an article with new polling numbers. Surprise! The GOP as a whole went up. My favorite part of the article is at the very end...
So I guess being the school-yard bully is the best strategy.
There was also an article published in the Register asking "Are Liquid Explosives on a Plane Feasible?"
I'll let you read the article for yourselves and leave you with just one thought.
How convenient.
(Disclaimer: I am not registered with any political party. Although I do tend to swing in the Democratic way, I do not consider myself affiliated with any political party. If pressed I would say that I am a true independant, meaning that I don't care what a persons political stance is. If I feel that they can handle the responsibilities that will be handed to them properly and with dignity, then they get my vote.)
It didn't take long for the GOP to raise the intensity of the protectionist drums that they have been beating ever since 9/11. No matter where you were or what you were watching, you'd hear about how the GOP has been protecting us and that the Democrats would just open the doors and let the terrorists do whatever they wanted.
My response to all of this was a bit removed from the mainstream. Like I said before, all I could think about was how convenient it was that we uncovered and stopped a major terrorist plot against the US.... 2 months before congressional elections. If you have heard anything about how the congressional races have been going, most of the GOP incumbents have been consitently behind their Democratic opponent in the polls for most of the race.
Here we are, a week after the terror 'scare', and USA Today has published an article with new polling numbers. Surprise! The GOP as a whole went up. My favorite part of the article is at the very end...
Tracey Schmitt of the Republican National Committee said the GOP "will continue to make the case that a post- 9/11 America can't afford to have leaders in office who believe defeatism is an acceptable strategy to protect our nation and win the war on terror."
So I guess being the school-yard bully is the best strategy.
There was also an article published in the Register asking "Are Liquid Explosives on a Plane Feasible?"
I'll let you read the article for yourselves and leave you with just one thought.
How convenient.
(Disclaimer: I am not registered with any political party. Although I do tend to swing in the Democratic way, I do not consider myself affiliated with any political party. If pressed I would say that I am a true independant, meaning that I don't care what a persons political stance is. If I feel that they can handle the responsibilities that will be handed to them properly and with dignity, then they get my vote.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)