Tag: energy
Panasonic rescuing the reputation of plasma TVs – thinner, more efficient models on the way
Poor old plasma TVs, which have long been tagged as the energy-sucking, gas-guzzlers of the lounge, might be about to have their reputations saved – thanks to Panasonic’s new range.
Panasonic reckons it’s managed to get the energy consumption of a standard plasma TV down by HALF – a move which it’s hoping will boost sales of its TVs by 50% over the coming year, as modern energy-aware shoppers start paying a bit more attention to the numbers on the back of boxes when they buy stuff…
EU's knee-jerk anti-plasma campaign could lead to total ban and more sensationalist tech headlines
Everyone knows that, in general, large TVs consume more electricity than small ones, but it seems that EU bureaucrats are just turning themselves on to the idea of banning plasma TVs because they’re not energy efficient.
The yawn-inducing title attributed to plasma sets is “the 4×4 of the living room” (I reported this over at HDTVUK two years ago) because it’s easy to lump them all together as electricity guzzlers.
Sweeping generalisations reported in the mainstream press include such gems as “they use up to four times as much electricity and are responsible for up to four times as much carbon dioxide as traditional cathode ray tube sets.” The clue is in those two words — “up to” — which, just as when applied to your flagging broadband connection, can cover a huge range of values…
Google searches causing global warming? Err… no.
Yesterday, the Sunday Times published an article saying that making two Google searches generates as much carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle – an act long associated with energy inefficiency. This outlandish claim comes from a Harvard University physicist working on the environmental impact of computing.
Far be it for me to try to debunk a Harvard physicist, but this is mostly rubbish. Google is a company that cares considerably more for the environment than many. Although it’s true that datacentres are remarkably inefficient creations, and the IT industry has a carbon footprint like any other industry, Google pales into nothing when compared to cars, fossil fuel power stations and the aviation industry.
I suspect that the real reason for this jab at one of the world’s biggest IT companies is simply a desire for more research funding, particularly since the article inexplicably ends with an utterly unrelated jab at celebrity Twitterers. Google’s Senior VP of Operations, Urs Hölzle, clears things up on the Official Google Blog.
“Revealed: the environmental impact of Google searches” (via Techmeme)
Related posts: Plogg – energy monitoring bluetooth plugs for a greener home and grid | Google needs to take some tips from Gary
"Energy Saving Day was worth the effort" says the man who came up with the idea of Energy Saving Day
Matt Prescott, who’s Energy Saving Day actually saw a rise in energy consumption at the end of it, said it was still worth his effort as it helped raise awareness of the causes and led to energy companies simplifying their home insulation schemes. Awesome.
Even though E-Day clearly raised zero awareness with consumers, as everyone happily boiled more water than strictly necessary and left the oven on to keep the kitchen warm…
Google bored of having money – donating $175m to various charities
The piles of cash everywhere at Google HQ are getting a bit too much. Some office doors won’t even open any more, and there’s no cupboard space left for essentials like pens and envelopes thanks to all the bundles of fifties wedged in every cabinet.
That’s why (in one possible dimension) Google has revealed it’s throwing $175 million into helping fight global infection outbreaks – by developing new computer systems…
The Wattson tells you how much electricity you're wasting, Sherlock Holmes
This pretty purple product isn’t designed to just sit on your shelf, glowing away ambiently like there’s no tomorrow, it actually has a very noble place within the household. It can lower your bills, gasp!
The Wattson from DIY Kyoto lets you see into the future, telling you how much your electricity bill will come to if you continue using the same amount of energy, and glows purple if you’re doing well, but…
Proposed ban could mean no more Plasma TVs for Australians
Like we can afford Plasmas anyway, why do you think I moved to England, a land where consumer electronics are so much more affordable than down under?
According to the ABC, the Australian government has announced they’ll be banning the sales of Plasmas, and even some LCD screens, due…
The Body Battery Calculator will stop you from frequenting Starbucks, guaranteed
Great. Just what I always wanted, another reason to lay off the Krispy Kreme Fridays at Shiny Towers. Bah!
For crazy health-conscious freaks who like nothing better to do that to work out how fat they are etc, take a look at The Body Battery Calculator. If you measure your heart rate, and can manage to shield your computer monitor from prying eyes, so you can enter in TOP SECRET information such as your weight (gasp!), height, body type (thank goodness the first option is average, you can claim you didn’t see the ‘obese’ option underneath) and age (cast furtive glances around you again), the calculator will work out just how much energy your body creates…
WING: your own portable windmill
Windmills are great, but they could be a bit more portable, don’t you think? That’s the idea behind the development of WING, a concept design for a personal windmill. It’s the work of Croation designers Ines Vlahović & Mladen Orešić, and has just scooped an INDEX award for its innovative umbrella-like design.
Hippyshopper's top five best energy saving adapters
I think it’s safe to say that the demographic of this blog doesn’t do much to help save the environment, and I include myself in there, believe me. With our power-guzzling LCD tellies, games consoles constantly on standby, and more things generally plugged into sockets than anyone else, we can definitely improve on our eco-friendliness…
