Eco Friendly House And Garden

Our changing climate and what it means for life on earth – he says….

Basically this book explains some of the facts about the things we hear about in the news – but it does them in a nice way rather than scaremongering!

And to prove it, he opens up nice and early with a simple guide to how the world works at the moment - in terms of climate and atmosphere – and easily explains the difference between all the ‘eco words’ being bandied around at the moment, like global warming and climate change. 

The Book Itself:
Not too intimidating to read, or filled with scientific quotes and jargon, this book is quite an easy read – and it doesn’t display page after page filled with ‘amazing’ statistics and species names. 

It does however, cover all the points that are a global warming advocate favorites – like coral bleaching and coal-fired power stations – but he takes the time to discuss the actual science and facts behind them in really simple terms.  This goes a long way towards getting people to a level where they can form their own opinions.

So rather than saying ‘we are all doomed if the rainforests are cleared’ or ‘we will all drown when sea levels rise 100 meters’ causing panic – he simply explains how nature balances that particular environment at the moment, and what our actions could do to change that along current trends. 

Basically, he details what could biologically be the next step if all things remain the same – for example:  A normal human being needs to eat to stay alive, awake and healthy – but if it starts to eat too much a series of things will start to occur.  These may include weight gain (due to excess calories), tiredness (due to the extra weight being carried), likelihood of skin problems (due to bad circulation), shortness of breath (due to pressure on the lungs and heart), etc, etc. 

Flannery helps to explain how these things come about – not just what the end result might be.  He explains the negative and positive feedback systems that keep our environment alive and functioning as it is today.

He uses the Gaia Theory to put all this in perspective – whereby the whole world and it’s atmosphere are treated as one giant living organism – where an action in one part can have an effect on another part.  A giant version of the saying ‘if a butterfly flaps it’s wings in the Sahara, it can create a cyclone in the Pacific’.

I totally agree that our actions in different parts of the world are having a direct impact on things happening thousands of miles away, and can visualise how a change in the make-up of the atmosphere (more CO2) can change climate and the water cycle! 

Result: 4/5
I would have hoped for an updated version by now – seeing as it is 5 years old now, and science has come a long way since – and we have new world leaders to contend with!

I started to write down some of his short term ‘predictions’ as some of them had passed or were fast approaching – most were on target although a few were not quite as bad as he had thought they would be.

He has written several other books which I will be seeking out, and I will be waiting for the newest edition of this book to arrive!

ISBN: 978-0-141-02627-5

What Are The New Light Bulbs All About?

There has been much debate in the news about the new CPL light-bulbs that are being forced upon us by the government to lower Carbon Emissions.

Some would say that we need forcing as they are more energy efficient than the old incandescent light-bulbs we know and love – but others say that they have some serious down-sides which may take years to sort out!

So, what’s what?

Compact Fluorescent Lamp’s (CFL’s)    
These new light-bulbs are appearing all over the country – and they look odd!  They generally take the form of chunky tubes bent into various square-ish forms and should fit into all standard light and lamp fixtures.  Basically they are a scaled down version of the strip fluorescent tubes you find in kitchens and offices already (the ones that take a while to flick on and can start flashing without warning!).

They are reported to use a lot less power to run than normal light-bulbs and can last up to between 6000 – 15000, up to 15 times longer than the alternative incandescents – apparently making them justify their more expensive price tag!  In theory then, creating less waste after use – and ultimately reduced manufacturing costs as we won’t need to buy them so often.  They are reported to last up to 5 years with normal household use!

Running a CFL light generates less heat than an incandescent bulb, therefore reducing the need for cooling in warmer months – particularly useful in shops and offices where heat can affect products.

In the EU, CFL’s are rated as either A or B in their energy rating system (ie – the most energy efficient in their class), with halogen bulbs getting a D-rating, and the old incandescents getting and E or F-rating!  They are reported to use as little as 20% of the energy of a standard light-bulb – so reducing running costs of offices and retail outlets greatly! 

However, it’s not all good news.  There are many downsides to these new light-bulbs and suddenly the balance of energy-saving and environmental problems clash somewhat!

What’s Not So Hot?
Well, for a start it is believed that LED lighting is the next best thing -  they are safer, brighter, faster, last longer and are more energy-efficient than the CFL’s  – So why are we settling for 2nd best?  Why not just focus on the best one rather than filling the gap with a temporary solution?

Secondly – the CFL bulbs contain mercury.  Now, they report that it is only equivalent to the plastic bit at the end of a biro, but the light-bulbs themselves are only small – so in my book that is still a lot!  And mercury is toxic as we all know. 

Now – there is mercury in the fluorescent strip bulbs already, and we use those all over the place – but these are in our bedrooms and lounges now – and do we want the risk?  The industry is trying to reduce this for the next generation bulbs – but of course, you won’t need those until 2014 will you!

Obviously, if they are used correctly in their fixtures – the mercury will not cause you any risk.  However, if they break in your home, or you throw them in you trash – they can present a ‘small risk’ to your health!  The UK Energy Savings Trust say that this is negligible and mercury is released into the atmosphere when generating the coal-fired energy to power your old wasteful (and your new) light-bulbs.  Basically it’s an equal trade-off for the environment, but a bit more risky for the individual.

Alternatively, Recolight advise that there is a risk to health and that you should wear rubber gloves when handling broken bulbs, not to inhale dust, ventilate the room and most importantly: do not vacuum it up!  Why?  Because the mercury will get blown about the room and some will remain in the filter – spewing out every time you use it afterwards!!!!

Go to Maine’s Environmental Site for a more detailed advice list for dealing with a broken bulb, including washing your hands and face thoroughly and even replacing the carpet if young children or pregnant women may come in contact with it!!  Scary stuff…..

There are not really efficient systems in place to recycle these bulbs once they are spent either, and some experts say the technology to do so is years away.  Current estimations say that up to 75% of CFL bulbs are thrown away in the normal trash – releasing the mercury – and creating more damage than the energy they save!  Experts also advise that you contain your broken and unbroken bulbs in air-tight glass jars while transporting them to avoid mercury release….. 

You can give your bulbs back to a number of stores though for recycling and disposal, including Home Depot and Ikea.  Check the EPA website or your National Environmental Agency for more advice on disposal near you.  Some private companies can collect bulk amounts at some cost to you though.

Finally, they only work at their most efficient if they stay on for longer than 15 minutes at a time!  If you have one in your bathroom or closet that goes on and off within just a few minutes – you can actually shorten it’s lifespan by up to 85% – basically back to where a normal light-bulb would be – except you paid more for this one!

Also, due to their internal workings, you need to buy a specific type to work with dimmer switches, motion sensor and linked systems as they flash or change brightness as and when they please!  They can also buzz and flicker – annoying some people more than others – and they give some people a head-ache!

So, although I will be replacing my old light-bulbs with an appropriate CFL bulb – Roll on LED lighting I say!!