Time to begin the Green Products Region, Round 2!
Low Energy Lighting
Green Pride (14/20)
I fear that LEL is beginning to follow the path of Recycling. These new Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs have been around for some time now and people are starting to take them for granted. In fact, a lot of countries now have plans to ban the sale of high energy light bulbs within the next ten years, so after that point, people will take no pride in doing what is really the only option that they have.
But for now, people are pretty proud of the fact that they are able to cut down their energy bills by buying light bulbs that look somewhat silly and whimsical.
Green Guilt (6/20)
People aren't too guilty about not using these new light bulbs. Right now there are too many excuses (many not valid) for not wanting to upgrade their lights. They're too expensive (the lower electricity costs pay for themselves within a year or so), they have odd coloring (newer technologies have fixed that), they take too long to turn on (really, you can't wait 1/2 of a second?).
Reader Comments (0/10)
Make sure to comment!
High Efficiency Toilets
Green Pride (12/20)
I really do want to give this a higher score, because I think people would be (and most likely are) proud of their water-free toilets. But when I'm rating these ideas, I like to think about how often and how vocally people like to brag about owning the product. And the one thing that society has taught us well is that you don't talk about toilets to strangers at parties. That's just really weird, even if composting your own waste is really good for the environment.
Green Guilt (7/20)
People will feel pretty darn guilty some day. Right now, things aren't too bad and water is something that is fairly common. But once droughts begin taking hold and water is something that is almost as scarce (and valuable) as oil, people will begin singing a different song. So for now, I'll have to give this a low-ish rating, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll give this one a few future point that can be redeemed in 5 years.
Reader Comments (2/10)
Just think! You, too could contribute to the winner of this tournament!
Time to tally the scores!
Low Energy Lighting: 20
High Efficiency Toilets: 21
I hope you aren't too UPSET by that result! Come on back tomorrow to see how (2) Canvas Bags and (3) Recycled Products fare against one another.
Showing posts with label low energy lighting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low energy lighting. Show all posts
Friday, July 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tournament Round 1, Match 13 - (1) Low Energy Lighting vs (8) Organic Food
(1) Low Energy Lighting and (8) Organic Food!
Low Energy Lighting
Low Energy Lighting (LEL for short) is not any specific technology or brand but the next generation of commercial and residential lighting. This could be anything from those spirally light bulbs to the really expensive LEDs you see in rich people's houses.
Impact on the Environment (13/15):
LEL is a really good solution because it goes after the problem in an entirely different way. Alternative energy technologies approach the problem as "we're going to run out of fossil fuels eventually, let's abandon ship before it gets too bad." LEL on the other hand is more like "we're going to run out of fossil fuels eventually, let's patch up the ship as much as we can so it will be a lot longer until we sink." And while reducing our energy consumption will only delay the inevitable, it sure beats freezing to death and sinking to the bottom of the ocean while hanging on to a door until for help arrives.
Practicality (10/10):
Look, light bulbs are going to burn out eventually, and when they do, just buy the more-expensive-now-but-cheaper-in-the-long-run high efficiency ones.
Sustainability (10/10):
LEL is a concept that will only continue to evolve as technology improves. What's low energy now will be high energy compared with what will be popular 10 years from now. As long as people continue to choose the more environmentally friendly option, things will only continue to improve.
Awesomeness (5/10):
While I know that I'm a huge nerd and think these are awesome, most people don't care one way or another about high efficiency lighting. It's okay, I won't hold it against you... much...
User Input (0/5):
Nope, don't see anything here.
Organic Food
Oh, Organic Food. How I have longed to talk about you in here. This is the most misunderstood and deceptive Green idea, even more misunderstood than nuclear power. Some people will disagree with me, but I look at things very practically (ironically enough) and Organic Food doesn't stack up.
Impact on the Environment (9/15):
Organic Food is good for the environment. Somewhat good, that is. It's great the pesticides aren't getting into our waterways or getting into the food we eat. And I know that I don't want to eat pesticides. But the picture isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Follow me to the next paragraph and I'll explain further.
Practicality (2/10):
The truth about Organic Food is that it just doesn't work on a large scale. One of the benefits of genetically modified food is increased yields. Increased yields means more people can be fed with less resources. One of the reasons that wealthy countries can stay wealthy and healthy is that they use crops that produce better yields. If everyone in the world switched to Organic Food, pests populations would explode and consume all of our food, which would cause starvation and droughts across the world. That may sound a bit grim, but when farmland is being destroyed by climate change already, we need all the help we can get in terms of growing more for less.
Sustainability (5/10):
Organic Food really has been around a very long time (as long as plants have been on this planet) so they'll always be around in some form. But as for their popularity among humans, right now they're a luxury. One that will quickly be cast aside if things start going downhill in terms of climate change.
Awesomeness (7/10):
Organic Food, while not awesome in my book, is a really fun thing to rub in people's faces if you feel like getting all ecotistical (Dang! I just made that word up, but I checked and someone already said it first) to your friends.
User Input (0/5):
Nope, nothing here either.
Alright, let's tally those scores!
Low Energy Lighting: 38
Organic Food: 23
Eat it, Organic Food! For everyone else that didn't lose to Low Energy Lighting, check it out tomorrow when (4) Insulation and (5) High Efficiency Toilets face off.
Low Energy Lighting
Low Energy Lighting (LEL for short) is not any specific technology or brand but the next generation of commercial and residential lighting. This could be anything from those spirally light bulbs to the really expensive LEDs you see in rich people's houses.
Impact on the Environment (13/15):
LEL is a really good solution because it goes after the problem in an entirely different way. Alternative energy technologies approach the problem as "we're going to run out of fossil fuels eventually, let's abandon ship before it gets too bad." LEL on the other hand is more like "we're going to run out of fossil fuels eventually, let's patch up the ship as much as we can so it will be a lot longer until we sink." And while reducing our energy consumption will only delay the inevitable, it sure beats freezing to death and sinking to the bottom of the ocean while hanging on to a door until for help arrives.
Practicality (10/10):
Look, light bulbs are going to burn out eventually, and when they do, just buy the more-expensive-now-but-cheaper-in-the-long-run high efficiency ones.
Sustainability (10/10):
LEL is a concept that will only continue to evolve as technology improves. What's low energy now will be high energy compared with what will be popular 10 years from now. As long as people continue to choose the more environmentally friendly option, things will only continue to improve.
Awesomeness (5/10):
While I know that I'm a huge nerd and think these are awesome, most people don't care one way or another about high efficiency lighting. It's okay, I won't hold it against you... much...
User Input (0/5):
Nope, don't see anything here.
Organic Food
Oh, Organic Food. How I have longed to talk about you in here. This is the most misunderstood and deceptive Green idea, even more misunderstood than nuclear power. Some people will disagree with me, but I look at things very practically (ironically enough) and Organic Food doesn't stack up.
Impact on the Environment (9/15):
Organic Food is good for the environment. Somewhat good, that is. It's great the pesticides aren't getting into our waterways or getting into the food we eat. And I know that I don't want to eat pesticides. But the picture isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Follow me to the next paragraph and I'll explain further.
Practicality (2/10):
The truth about Organic Food is that it just doesn't work on a large scale. One of the benefits of genetically modified food is increased yields. Increased yields means more people can be fed with less resources. One of the reasons that wealthy countries can stay wealthy and healthy is that they use crops that produce better yields. If everyone in the world switched to Organic Food, pests populations would explode and consume all of our food, which would cause starvation and droughts across the world. That may sound a bit grim, but when farmland is being destroyed by climate change already, we need all the help we can get in terms of growing more for less.
Sustainability (5/10):
Organic Food really has been around a very long time (as long as plants have been on this planet) so they'll always be around in some form. But as for their popularity among humans, right now they're a luxury. One that will quickly be cast aside if things start going downhill in terms of climate change.
Awesomeness (7/10):
Organic Food, while not awesome in my book, is a really fun thing to rub in people's faces if you feel like getting all ecotistical (Dang! I just made that word up, but I checked and someone already said it first) to your friends.
User Input (0/5):
Nope, nothing here either.
Alright, let's tally those scores!
Low Energy Lighting: 38
Organic Food: 23
Eat it, Organic Food! For everyone else that didn't lose to Low Energy Lighting, check it out tomorrow when (4) Insulation and (5) High Efficiency Toilets face off.
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