Conserving Energy - Saving Our Planet

We Americans love big fast cars, big fast highways, bigger and bigger houses, and bigger and fancier kitchens. Our principal population growth areas are in the South, where we expect and demand ready access to air conditioning. And we're always grumbling about the high cost of gas and the high cost of electricity.

Government programs such as Energy Star are helping us start to save on some of our wasteful habits, and new rebates for buying these contribute an economic simulus. The Department of Energy is newly enabled by the Economic Stimulus Act of 2009, which extended renewable energy tax credits, and is focusing on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. We have a long way to go, and I hope we can persuade our lawmakers at all levels to support work toward the Copenhagen climate conference this December. We need to educate ourselves on the urgency of purpose and to challenge ourselves to meet goals of reducing carbon outputs.

Europe has long been ahead of the U.S. in conserving energy. This came out of coping with relative poverty and finding ways to save money in daily living. When traveling in France many years ago I learned of the hall switches in hotels and apartment buildings that turned on just long enough for a person to reach his or her room. Flash heaters attached to showers and kitchen faucets heated water only when it was needed.

Sergio Trippi, who publishes "Good News Agency," an email on international development, in his 12 September 2009 issue gave information on two programs I think are inspiring for us here in the U.S.:
Two new programs have websites that encourage conservation: the European Union-based website Flick the Switch offers projects and actions children and adults can take, and is available in many languages. The website Topten presents the best products of Europe, and focuses on laws to end use of incandescent bulbs and their newer alternatives. This is the equivalent of a Consumers Report on energy saving appliances, vehicles and other household and office equipment. While these don't transfer directly to the U.S. the concept is welcome. (To subscribe to the Good News Agency emails, write to Mr. Trippi at: s.tripi@tiscali.it )

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