The Environment Thread :-)
1 lurker |
58 watchers
Apr 2022
10:46pm, 7 Apr 2022
4,961 posts
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run free
Help create a national audit of single use / disposable plastic See here m.youtube.com
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Apr 2022
10:50pm, 7 Apr 2022
4,962 posts
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run free
To join see here: thebigplasticcount.com
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Apr 2022
11:17pm, 7 Apr 2022
88,041 posts
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Hanneke
I have joined but... I use very very little in the way of plastic so not sure how helpful that is...
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Apr 2022
10:50am, 8 Apr 2022
41,985 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
I think things like "local solar" for charging devices without connection to grid will be a thing too. techcrunch.com The Urbanista headphones that are referred to in this 1 year old article are now available on sale (really expensive, but new tech always is - expect it to come down in price and for the effectiveness of the solar powered inks to improve?)  G
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Apr 2022
11:04am, 8 Apr 2022
12,330 posts
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jda
Hmmm. That looks a bit of a gimmick to me - like the garmin watches, which could potentially be useful when you're away from a power source for a long period of time, but don't actually make a measurable impact on power consumption. The %age of time those little panels are generating useful power must be absolutely minuscule. If panels can be printed cheaply, put them on the roof of every car, building...then they will generate usefully much more of the time. |
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Apr 2022
11:07am, 8 Apr 2022
41,987 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Agree jda, but the efficiency will improve if it is commercialized. It's specifically designed to work in low light and indoors too, so constantly trickle charging. If all the low power devices in a house didn't have to charge from mains, that would be significant, cumulatively. And in the spirit of "we have to do all the changes, not just look for one silver bullet" it felt like a small part of the progress needed. G
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Apr 2022
10:40am, 11 Apr 2022
42,006 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
bbc.co.uk An electricity socket that detects when devices connected to it are wasting energy and also shows whether the electricity from the grid is "green" (i.e. mostly renewable) or not, allowing the used to choose not to use electricity at that time (or automatically turn off devices). Helpful in making a change, or gimmick that only those who already care and probably minimize wasted energy would use anyway, with the profligate continuing not to care? G
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Apr 2022
11:14am, 11 Apr 2022
29,758 posts
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macca 53
bbc.co.uk An electricity socket that detects when devices connected to it are wasting energy and also shows whether the electricity from the grid is "green" (i.e. mostly renewable) or not, allowing the used to choose not to use electricity at that time (or automatically turn off devices). Helpful in making a change, or gimmick that only those who already care and probably minimize wasted energy would use anyway, with the profligate continuing not to care? G Would be pretty bad if you set it to turn off and your freezer was turned off - definitely a gimmick, and erm electrons are electrons right how can it detect “greenness”? |
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Apr 2022
11:20am, 11 Apr 2022
42,009 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
As reported by national grid macca, I believe. grid.iamkate.com Whether you think this is valid or not is of course up to you! And you could set devices to be on all the time (or just not use the plug) where this was required - e.g. fridge and freezer! But for things like charging a car, computer or phone, or other "opportunistic" uses of energy, it could be quite good for smoothing demand? G
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Apr 2022
11:30am, 11 Apr 2022
29,759 posts
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macca 53
I get the National Grid stuff and I’m fine with that, but that is basically “input” data to the grid I.e. how much of each type is thrown into the big vat of electricity we all use as “output” from the vat. I don’t (at all) see how my house or a “magic socket” could detect when green electricity was coming through the wires (which in principle would only be around half the time*)
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Useful Links
FE accepts no responsibility for external links. Or anything, really.- why Kodak completely missed the boat when it came to digital cameras
- rf_fozzy: This is quite a good article about how disruptive technology work
- run free's Grand Designs example Ben Laws is a man who built his dream
- Carbon Commentary carboncommentary.com
- UK ombudsman for problems with electricity or gas
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