things that tilt you

[eugmac]

People who place material needs above human concerns.

You're refrigerator is on 24/7 and the consumption dwarfs what your lights use. Also, if you're using an electric grill or an electric clothes dryer, then even the refrigerator's constant drain looks pretty small.

So just a heads up... your wife isn't costing you much of anything in comparison to other household costs, and whatever peace of mind it buys her is probably worth it for you both.

I guess the key point though is that light bulb left on in an unoccupied room is totally needlessly wasted energy. Your fridge is keeping your subsistence fresh and edible - a pretty fair use of energy. Also, I do believe efforts to conserve energy and natural resources is in fact a very human concern, from a species-survival point of view.

[MadMojoMonkey]

I guess the key point though is that light bulb left on in an unoccupied room is totally needlessly wasted energy. Your fridge is keeping your subsistence fresh and edible - a pretty fair use of energy. Also, I do believe efforts to conserve energy and natural resources is in fact a very human concern, from a species-survival point of view.

I'm all about being environmentally friendly and ecologically conscious. That's why I don't give a rats ass about end-level consumers when it comes to this topic. We're talking about the ~6% of the total electrical energy being used that is in households. Turning off your lights in rooms you're not using while you're at home is such a minor portion of your electrical useage that it's scandalous to mention it in the same breath as "energy conservation for survival of the species".

I DO think that topic is important, but picking on households is such a misdirected effort. I mean, if you leave your lights and utilities on while you're gone for vacation, that's a bit different, but only for the fiscal bottom line of the household... not for the environmental future of the planet.

[wufwugy]

I'm all about being environmentally friendly and ecologically conscious. That's why I don't give a rats ass about end-level consumers when it comes to this topic. We're talking about the ~6% of the total electrical energy being used that is in households. Turning off your lights in rooms you're not using while you're at home is such a minor portion of your electrical useage that it's scandalous to mention it in the same breath as "energy conservation for survival of the species".

I DO think that topic is important, but picking on households is such a misdirected effort. I mean, if you leave your lights and utilities on while you're gone for vacation, that's a bit different, but only for the fiscal bottom line of the household... not for the environmental future of the planet.

Yup yup yup yup yup

From the species survival perspective, the only solution is technological progress to such a point that artificial meat is the same as regular meat yet cheaper, and solar energy and battery tech (or perhaps biofuel) are so economical that they're better than coal and oil. Also we'd probably have to plant a trillion trees or something

Anything households do will have no effect, especially since conserving energy just makes it that much cheaper for others to consume. The solution is technological, not behavioral. It certainly feels good on the household level though, and can make individuals' lives better. Keeping plants in each room probably does more than anything else you could do for climate change, and it also makes your air cleaner and optics more pleasing

[jackvance]

Yup yup yup yup yup

From the species survival perspective, the only solution is technological progress to such a point that artificial meat is the same as regular meat yet cheaper, and solar energy and battery tech (or perhaps biofuel) are so economical that they're better than coal and oil.

Agreed and these things are definitely in the works, I'm convinced that heavy funding of such research is enough to get us there fast enough. But there is no need atm because the status quo works for the moment for big oil and big money. And I don't mean there is some kind of conspiracy going on, it's just a fact that things never get moving unless they really need to. Same with the environment. We as mankind will have to use our technological advancement to restore the planet soon enough. We're already past the point of no return of fucking up the planet according to pretty much every way this is being measured. And I do think we are capable of this no problem. But the environment hasn't quite gotten bad enough to really motivate big money to go there. Once the big ecological disasters start happening this is bound to change.

[rpm]

ps today's tilt trigger is windows vista service packs. and protools