Participants at a United Nations-backed conference heard calls today for greater investment and robust government policies to allow a shift towards a low-carbon, environmentally friendly economy with “green industry” at its core.
“The current global financial and economic crisis must be used to our advantage to bring about a green energy revolution,” said Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
“Promoting domestic and international policies that encourage green investment in the next decade should be a major priority for a climate deal to be concluded in Copenhagen,” stressed Mr. Yumkella, referring to the UN conference in December aimed at reaching an ambitious new greenhouse gas emission reduction agreement to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
Mr. Yumkella was speaking at the opening of the three-day event in Vienna, “Towards an Integrated Energy Agenda Beyond 2020,” organized by UNIDO, the Austrian Government, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy.
The conference is designed to provide a framework to guide the path “towards a low-carbon global green economy powered by green industry,” Mr. Yumkella told some 500 government officials, energy and economics experts, and civil society representatives attending the gathering.
Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore, said that energy remained the “missing Millennium Development Goal,” referring to the set of anti-poverty targets world leaders have pledged to try to achieve by 2015.
Mr. Pachauri said that without an adequate supply of energy to the poor, there could be “no talk about eliminating poverty in the world.”
IIASA Director, Detlof von Winterfeldt, stressed that today over 2 billion people were without access to modern energy services, but the Global Energy Assessment (GEA) – the most comprehensive analysis of worldwide energy challenges – suggests energy for everyone is not only achievable but also affordable if the political will exists.
“We are facing a convergence of challenges that require a fundamental transformation of energy systems, ‘business-as-usual’ solutions are not an option,” said Mr. von Winterfeldt.
“The magnitude, pace, and scale of the impact of climate change is greater than predicted even as recently as a couple of years ago – the need to respond to this change is urgent,” he said.
Mr. von Winterfeldt said that a tripling of the current $350 billion annual investment in energy, over $100 billion of which is in renewable energy, is needed to meet global energy challenges, adding that an opportunity exists “in the several stimulus packages introduced by many countries in response to the global financial and economic crisis” to find the funding necessary for the shift towards a green economy.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Top UN officials urge governments, industry to invest in clean energy
Renewable and clean energy sources offer the world hope not just in combating climate change but also in reversing the global economic slump, top United Nations officials told the General Assembly today, calling for investment in ‘green’ technology.
“The prospects for renewable energy have never looked better, even in the face of recession,” said General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto.
Mr. D’Escoto voiced hope, especially for the most vulnerable, that the global economic downturn will end before too long. “It would be an enormous step forward if this recovery were coupled with visionary policies, innovative technologies and broad incentives for new and renewable sources of energy.”
He told the Assembly’s thematic dialogue on energy that while technology is constantly being developed, there is a need for incentives to accelerate the process.
“States and the public sector must support the goals of renewable energy, and, by providing appropriate incentives, the private sector can also be mobilized in a concerted fashion,” he added.
Energy is the keystone to all economic development, Mr. D’Escoto said, stressing that “our development and survival as a healthy species depend on the long-term availability of energy from sources that are dependable, safe and environmentally sound.”
In his opening remarks to the gathering, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that climate change is not only posing serious global threat but is generating a “world of opportunities.”
“The Green Economy is the wave of the future,” said Mr. Ban.
He said that the UN conference in Copenhagen this December aimed at reaching an ambitious new greenhouse gas emission reduction agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol can create momentum for the ‘green economy.’
“Copenhagen can give it a massive, even decisive, boost,” he said. “It can support job creation, rural development and environmental protection.
“I believe that more and more people – in government and industry – are seeing the opportunities that are there to be seized,” he said, noting that several economies have earmarked multi-billion-dollar investments in clean energy.
“In fact, 2008 marked the first year that investment in new power generation capacity from renewable energy technologies was more than investment in fossil-fuelled technologies,” he said.
Mr. Ban stressed that the expansion of renewable energy must be made the foundation of development, noting that the transformation of the global energy market is already under way.
“We stand at a crossroads. One direction leads to an abyss. The other direction leads to sustainable, more prosperous, more stable world. The choice should be clear,” he stated.
Today’s meeting follows the launch of the Secretary-General’s Energy and Climate Change Advisory Group, which consists of business leaders and experts who will advise him on related challenges, particularly in identifying key issues in the run-up to the Copenhagen conference.
The Group held its first meeting at UN Headquarters yesterday under the chairmanship of Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and head of the inter-agency mechanism known as UN-Energy
“The prospects for renewable energy have never looked better, even in the face of recession,” said General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto.
Mr. D’Escoto voiced hope, especially for the most vulnerable, that the global economic downturn will end before too long. “It would be an enormous step forward if this recovery were coupled with visionary policies, innovative technologies and broad incentives for new and renewable sources of energy.”
He told the Assembly’s thematic dialogue on energy that while technology is constantly being developed, there is a need for incentives to accelerate the process.
“States and the public sector must support the goals of renewable energy, and, by providing appropriate incentives, the private sector can also be mobilized in a concerted fashion,” he added.
Energy is the keystone to all economic development, Mr. D’Escoto said, stressing that “our development and survival as a healthy species depend on the long-term availability of energy from sources that are dependable, safe and environmentally sound.”
In his opening remarks to the gathering, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that climate change is not only posing serious global threat but is generating a “world of opportunities.”
“The Green Economy is the wave of the future,” said Mr. Ban.
He said that the UN conference in Copenhagen this December aimed at reaching an ambitious new greenhouse gas emission reduction agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol can create momentum for the ‘green economy.’
“Copenhagen can give it a massive, even decisive, boost,” he said. “It can support job creation, rural development and environmental protection.
“I believe that more and more people – in government and industry – are seeing the opportunities that are there to be seized,” he said, noting that several economies have earmarked multi-billion-dollar investments in clean energy.
“In fact, 2008 marked the first year that investment in new power generation capacity from renewable energy technologies was more than investment in fossil-fuelled technologies,” he said.
Mr. Ban stressed that the expansion of renewable energy must be made the foundation of development, noting that the transformation of the global energy market is already under way.
“We stand at a crossroads. One direction leads to an abyss. The other direction leads to sustainable, more prosperous, more stable world. The choice should be clear,” he stated.
Today’s meeting follows the launch of the Secretary-General’s Energy and Climate Change Advisory Group, which consists of business leaders and experts who will advise him on related challenges, particularly in identifying key issues in the run-up to the Copenhagen conference.
The Group held its first meeting at UN Headquarters yesterday under the chairmanship of Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and head of the inter-agency mechanism known as UN-Energy
Suncor Outlines Environmental Goals
Suncor Energy Inc. today announced the release of its web-based 2009 Report on Sustainability - a comprehensive review of the company’s environmental, social and economic performance for the past twoyears.
The seventh biennial report, entitled ’Seeing the Possibilities in a Changing World,’ profiles Suncor’s progress on a wide range of sustainability objectives. For the first time, the report outlines performance goals aimed at reducing the company’s environmental footprint.
"The theme of our report is timely," says Rick George, president and chief executive officer. "Suncor has always been about seeing possibilities when others saw only problems and obstacles. Through our focus on operational excellence, we’re targeting improvements in every aspect of our business. And, with the goals outlined in the report, we’re working hard to produce energy required to fuel our economy in a way that is socially beneficial and preserves a healthy environment."Suncor has set the following company-wide environmental performance goals in relation to its existing assets:- Reduce water intake by 12 percent by 2015- Increase land area reclaimed by 100 percent by 2015- Improve energy efficiency by 10 percent by 2015- Reduce current air emissions by 10 percent by 2015All of the proposed reductions are absolute, except for energy efficiency, which is intensity based (energy used per unit of production). While the goals will require significant financial and human resources, Suncor plans to achieve them even while targeting production growth.
The Report on Sustainability also serves as Suncor’s 15th annual Climate Change report, documenting the company’s progress in managing greenhouse gas emissions using its seven-point climate change action plan. The action plan includes developing renewable energy sources and participating in public policy discussions. As part of its sustainability commitment, the company plans to align its current greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy to address emerging climate change policies by 2010.Suncor’s Report on Sustainability also provides historical performance trends in a number of key areas. Performance highlights include: - A 22 percent reduction in absolute water use over the past six years.- Reclamation of more than 1,000 hectares of land.- A reduction in GHG emissions intensity at its oil sands plant by 45 percent compared to 1990 levels.- A reduction in the frequency of Suncor employee and contractor lost-time injuries by two thirds and a 50 percent reduction in the frequency of recordable injuries.- Investment of $24.9 million in 2007 and 2008 by Suncor and the SuncorEnergy Foundation in hundreds of charitable organizations and non-profit groups.- Over $13 billion in capital spending in 2007 and 2008. Suncor’s supply chain spending reached all ten provinces and the Northwest Territories.- Achieving a $1 billion spending milestone in Aboriginal goods and services, including $367 million in 2007 and 2008.- $2.6 billion in royalty payments to the Alberta government. An additional $2 billion was paid in property and excise taxes to all three levels of government.Suncor compiled the 2009 Report on Sustainability in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative G3 Guidelines - an internationally recognized standard in sustainability reporting. As in previous years, an independent third party verified a number of performance indicators. Suncor also enlisted the guidance of Ceres, a network of investors, labour, environmental, and other public interest groups in developing the report.
The web-based report, which incorporates text articles, photos, data tables, charts, graphs, and videos of Suncor leaders and stakeholders, as well as a summary pdf document, is now available at www.suncor.com/sustainability
The seventh biennial report, entitled ’Seeing the Possibilities in a Changing World,’ profiles Suncor’s progress on a wide range of sustainability objectives. For the first time, the report outlines performance goals aimed at reducing the company’s environmental footprint.
"The theme of our report is timely," says Rick George, president and chief executive officer. "Suncor has always been about seeing possibilities when others saw only problems and obstacles. Through our focus on operational excellence, we’re targeting improvements in every aspect of our business. And, with the goals outlined in the report, we’re working hard to produce energy required to fuel our economy in a way that is socially beneficial and preserves a healthy environment."Suncor has set the following company-wide environmental performance goals in relation to its existing assets:- Reduce water intake by 12 percent by 2015- Increase land area reclaimed by 100 percent by 2015- Improve energy efficiency by 10 percent by 2015- Reduce current air emissions by 10 percent by 2015All of the proposed reductions are absolute, except for energy efficiency, which is intensity based (energy used per unit of production). While the goals will require significant financial and human resources, Suncor plans to achieve them even while targeting production growth.
The Report on Sustainability also serves as Suncor’s 15th annual Climate Change report, documenting the company’s progress in managing greenhouse gas emissions using its seven-point climate change action plan. The action plan includes developing renewable energy sources and participating in public policy discussions. As part of its sustainability commitment, the company plans to align its current greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy to address emerging climate change policies by 2010.Suncor’s Report on Sustainability also provides historical performance trends in a number of key areas. Performance highlights include: - A 22 percent reduction in absolute water use over the past six years.- Reclamation of more than 1,000 hectares of land.- A reduction in GHG emissions intensity at its oil sands plant by 45 percent compared to 1990 levels.- A reduction in the frequency of Suncor employee and contractor lost-time injuries by two thirds and a 50 percent reduction in the frequency of recordable injuries.- Investment of $24.9 million in 2007 and 2008 by Suncor and the SuncorEnergy Foundation in hundreds of charitable organizations and non-profit groups.- Over $13 billion in capital spending in 2007 and 2008. Suncor’s supply chain spending reached all ten provinces and the Northwest Territories.- Achieving a $1 billion spending milestone in Aboriginal goods and services, including $367 million in 2007 and 2008.- $2.6 billion in royalty payments to the Alberta government. An additional $2 billion was paid in property and excise taxes to all three levels of government.Suncor compiled the 2009 Report on Sustainability in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative G3 Guidelines - an internationally recognized standard in sustainability reporting. As in previous years, an independent third party verified a number of performance indicators. Suncor also enlisted the guidance of Ceres, a network of investors, labour, environmental, and other public interest groups in developing the report.
The web-based report, which incorporates text articles, photos, data tables, charts, graphs, and videos of Suncor leaders and stakeholders, as well as a summary pdf document, is now available at www.suncor.com/sustainability
Google Earth to map climate change over next 50 years
Millions of Google Earth users around the world will be able to see how climate change could affect the planet and its people over the next century, along with viewing the loss of Antarctic ice shelves over the last 50 years, thanks to a new project launched today.The project, Climate Change in Our World, is the product of a collaboration between Google, the UK Government, the Met Office Hadley Centre and the British Antarctic Survey to provide two new 'layers', or animations, available to all users of Google Earth. It was launched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the Google Zeitgeist conference today.One animation uses world leading climate science from the UK's Met Office Hadley Centre to show world temperatures throughout the next hundred years under medium projections of greenhouse gas emissions, along with stories of how people in the UK and in some of the world's poorest countries are already being affected by changing weather patterns.Users can also access information on action that can be taken by individuals, communities, businesses and governments to tackle climate change, and highlights good work already underway.Another animation, developed by the British Antarctic Survey, show the retreat of Antarctic ice caps since the 1950s, and features facts about climate change science and impacts in the Antarctic.Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: "Climate change is redrawing the map of the world. Unless we act, its impacts will be felt everywhere, as sea levels rise, crops fail, extreme weather increases and more areas are at risk of drought and flooding."This project shows people the reality of climate change using estimates of both the change in the average temperature where they live, and the impact it will have on people's lives all over the world, including here in Britain."By helping people to understand what climate change means for them and for the world we can mobilise the commitment we need to avoid the worst effects by taking action now."International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said: "Climate change is happening and it is the world's poorest who are facing the greatest threat."Now, for the first time, Google Earth maps allow us to see first hand accounts of poor people coming to terms with everything from floods and droughts to melting glaciers. Amidst the massive impact on the world's environment the initiative highlights the personal costs to people least able to withstand the changes."Global action is needed to cut emissions and help communities adapt to changing weather patterns. It can be done - and the lives of those in poverty depend upon the world taking bold action."Met Office Chief Executive John Hirst said: "Climate change is arguably one of the biggest issues facing the world today."Merging the Met Office's unparalleled climate science expertise with the exciting technology of Google Earth is a great way of bringing the impacts of a warming world to life."British Antarctic Survey Director Professor Nick Owens said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to use the power of Google Earth technology to engage people all over the world in the importance and relevance of Antarctica in the climate change story."Ed Parsons, Geospatial technologist at Google, said: "Google Earth brings stories to life and opens up their reach to a limitless number of potential users."We are really excited about the work of the UK Government and its partners to raise the profile of climate change impacts on a global scale."The project is currently a snapshot of some of the recent scientific information about climate change and its impacts. The partners in the project will be looking to develop these ideas further in the future, preferably with additional partners.
Google searches generate 1,400 tonnes of CO2 daily: report
A normal Google search on a desktop computer generates about seven gm of carbon, nearly half the amount of CO2 a kettle generates while it reaches boiling point, reports quoting researchers at the Harward University said.
Considering that Google handles around 200 million searches a day, this would amount to releasing 1,400 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere each day, The Times, London said in report on the `Environmental Impact of Google Searches', published in its Sunday edition.
The report is based on research report by Harward researcher Alex Wissner-Gross, who has submitted it for publication by the US Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The researcher has also set up a website called `www.CO2stats.com'.
The report said the carbon impact of the searches come from the enormous power that Google consumes. "Google operates huge data centres around the world that consume a great deal of power," adding that Google seldom reveals the number of its centers or the amount of power it consumes.
Overall, the report said, the IT industry generates about two per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions – equivalent to the total greenhouse gases generated by the world's airlines - according to a recent study by research firm Gartner.
Google, a member of a new group called `Climate Savers Computing Initiative', however, refutes the findings.
Google says the CO2 figure in the research report by Alex Wissner-Gross is "many times too high" and is too inflated. "In terms of greenhouse gases, one Google search is equivalent to about 0.2 gm of CO2," it added.
"We have designed and built the most energy efficient data centers in the world, which means the energy used per Google search is minimal. In fact, in the time it takes to do a Google search, your own personal computer will use more energy than Google uses to answer your query," Google said.
Larry Brilliant, executive director of Google, heads the search giant's efforts to fight global warming that aims to reduce computing power consumption by half by 2010.
The organisation is encouraging member companies, including Google, to turn off computers that are not in use. The organisation has targeted reducing carbon releases equivalent of that generated by 11 million cars on the road.
The Google-led not-for-profit organisation has also made a number of recommendations on how to reduce US coal and oil use for electricity generation by 2030.
Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, an adviser to president-elect Barack Obama, has also called on the US government to show the political will to foster clean-technology.
Schmidt said Google itself plans to invest more in solar, wind and geothermal energy projects.
Considering that Google handles around 200 million searches a day, this would amount to releasing 1,400 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere each day, The Times, London said in report on the `Environmental Impact of Google Searches', published in its Sunday edition.
The report is based on research report by Harward researcher Alex Wissner-Gross, who has submitted it for publication by the US Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The researcher has also set up a website called `www.CO2stats.com'.
The report said the carbon impact of the searches come from the enormous power that Google consumes. "Google operates huge data centres around the world that consume a great deal of power," adding that Google seldom reveals the number of its centers or the amount of power it consumes.
Overall, the report said, the IT industry generates about two per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions – equivalent to the total greenhouse gases generated by the world's airlines - according to a recent study by research firm Gartner.
Google, a member of a new group called `Climate Savers Computing Initiative', however, refutes the findings.
Google says the CO2 figure in the research report by Alex Wissner-Gross is "many times too high" and is too inflated. "In terms of greenhouse gases, one Google search is equivalent to about 0.2 gm of CO2," it added.
"We have designed and built the most energy efficient data centers in the world, which means the energy used per Google search is minimal. In fact, in the time it takes to do a Google search, your own personal computer will use more energy than Google uses to answer your query," Google said.
Larry Brilliant, executive director of Google, heads the search giant's efforts to fight global warming that aims to reduce computing power consumption by half by 2010.
The organisation is encouraging member companies, including Google, to turn off computers that are not in use. The organisation has targeted reducing carbon releases equivalent of that generated by 11 million cars on the road.
The Google-led not-for-profit organisation has also made a number of recommendations on how to reduce US coal and oil use for electricity generation by 2030.
Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, an adviser to president-elect Barack Obama, has also called on the US government to show the political will to foster clean-technology.
Schmidt said Google itself plans to invest more in solar, wind and geothermal energy projects.
Are Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Good for the Environment?
Almost every news story about global warming recommends that consumers switch from incandescent light bulbs to more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs.
But are CFLs really that good for the environment?
Incandescent light bulbs use electricity to heat a filament to a white-hot state, producing light. Yet 90 percent of the energy used is wasted as heat, according to General Electric's Web site.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use electricity to excite gas within a glass tube. The gas fluoresces, producing ultraviolet light which the human eye cannot see. This UV light then reacts with mercury and a phosphorescent chemical compound inside the tube to create visible light.
Because CFL bulbs do not use heat as the lighting mechanism, less energy is spent to create an equivalent amount of light.
• Click here to visit FOXBusiness.com's Energy Center.
The packaging of an N:Vision-brand CFL bulb purchased at Home Depot, for example, states that it uses only 14 watts to produce the same amount of light, as measured in lumens, as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.
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This decreased demand for electricity reduces the need for electrical generation, which environmentalists point out reduces emissions from coal-fired plants.
In February, Australia announced a nationwide ban on incandescent bulbs, which will go into effect in 2010. The country's environment minister said the move will cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 800,000 tons by 2012, according to Reuters.
But this assumes that Australians will significantly reduce their current levels of electrical consumption.
What if a consumer who has a $100 monthly electric bill reduces it to $50 by installing CFLs, but then leaves the new lights on longer, because he's already accustomed to paying $100 per month?
The consumer would be using less raw electricity than before, but not that much less.
"Sometimes when you cut the cost of things, people use more of them," said James S. Shortle, professor of environmental economics at Penn State University.
"People have a certain lighting requirement," said Shortle, and they would be happy to fulfill that need more cheaply.
He suggested that people probably would not turn on their lights more often. "What they might not do is turn them off."
Manufacturers, meanwhile, tout the savings to consumers in reduced electrical costs over the lifetime of the CFL bulb.
The 14-watt N:Vision states on the packaging that it will save the buyer $46 over its lifetime. How did the manufacturer arrive at that number?
CFL makers claim the bulbs have lifetimes of 10,000 hours each, whereas most equivalent 60-watt incandescent bulbs last 1,000 hours.
Based on a rate of $0.10 per kilowatt-hour, a CFL costs $14 to power over its lifetime. The consumer would go through 10 incandescent bulbs in that time, costing a total of $60. Hence, a difference of $46 in electric costs per light fixture.
Since CFLs last longer than incandescents, consumers have to buy fewer bulbs for their fixtures, but here the cost savings are trivial.
At $3.97 for a four-pack of N:Visions versus $1.04 for four Philips incandescents, and assuming 10 incandescents used for every CFL used, a consumer opting for the N:Vision would save about $1.60 per fixture in addition to the electricity conserved.
You won't save a lot of scratch on the bulbs themselves, but at least you'll spend less time changing them.
But what about any drawbacks to CFLs?
CFLs don't operate well in frigid conditions, limiting their use for exterior lighting in cold areas.
According to a spokeswoman from Philips Lighting, most CFLs require a minimum starting temperature of minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit; below that, it's difficult for the bulb's reaction process to begin.
Other problems in cold temps include reduced light output and a pinkish glow, rather than the desirable "soft white" (actually faintly yellow) color.
Those problems alone may make nationwide bans on incandescent bulbs impractical in parts of the United States. Winter temperatures in Australia's southernmost state of Tasmania average 52 degrees Fahrenheit, but Minnesota spends most of its winters between 6 and 16 degrees F.
The bigger problem with CFLs is their mercury content.
Along with the phosphor, which can be one or many of several chemical compounds, mercury helps shift the invisible UV light into the visible part of the spectrum.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association, or NEMA, which sets voluntary industry standards, suggests that CFLs of 25 watts or less — the equivalent of a 100-watt incandescent bulb — contain no more than 5 milligrams of mercury, the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen.
Both CFL manufacturers and the Environmental Protection Agency recommend recycling CFL bulbs, since breaking or incinerating them releases mercury into the air. The poisonous metal can then find its way into soil, water, fish and fish-eating humans.
Sites such as epa.gov/bulbrecycling, lamprecycle.org and earth911.org offer information about where CFLs can be recycled, and certain retailers such as IKEA accept used CFLs for recycling.
Should you break out the hazmat suit if you break a CFL at home? The EPA offers a checklist at epa.gov/mercury that suggests you leave the room for 15 minutes, then return to sweep up and double-bag the mess — and not to vacuum unless absolutely necessary.
So handle with care, lest you end up like Brandy Bridges of Prospect, Maine, who broke a CFL bulb in her daughter's room in March and was told that professional environmental cleaning would cost about $2,000.
According to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Bridges was concerned about any amount of mercury in her house, even at levels far below the state hazard threshold. (Hazardous levels were found on an area of carpet "the size of a dinner plate.")
It was in response to her "nervousness" that the DEP responder who came to her house recommended the cleanup service.
Two months after the incident, state DEP officials came back and found no mercury hazard. Even so, they removed the piece of carpet — which Bridges had planned to take up even before the bulb was broken — at her request.
• Click here for the Maine DEP's account of the events (pdf).
In the meantime, manufacturers are racing for bragging rights to the CFL with the lowest mercury content. Philips says that it sells 19 CFL products at Wal-Mart that contain 40 percent to 60 percent less mercury than the suggested NEMA level of 5 milligrams.
Whether decreases in power-plant emissions are offset by people releasing mercury into the environment by disposing of their CFLs improperly remains to be seen.
One thing's for sure: Using compact fluorescent light bulbs makes sense for anyone paying an electric bill — and who doesn't have butterfingers.
But are CFLs really that good for the environment?
Incandescent light bulbs use electricity to heat a filament to a white-hot state, producing light. Yet 90 percent of the energy used is wasted as heat, according to General Electric's Web site.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use electricity to excite gas within a glass tube. The gas fluoresces, producing ultraviolet light which the human eye cannot see. This UV light then reacts with mercury and a phosphorescent chemical compound inside the tube to create visible light.
Because CFL bulbs do not use heat as the lighting mechanism, less energy is spent to create an equivalent amount of light.
• Click here to visit FOXBusiness.com's Energy Center.
The packaging of an N:Vision-brand CFL bulb purchased at Home Depot, for example, states that it uses only 14 watts to produce the same amount of light, as measured in lumens, as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.
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/**/
This decreased demand for electricity reduces the need for electrical generation, which environmentalists point out reduces emissions from coal-fired plants.
In February, Australia announced a nationwide ban on incandescent bulbs, which will go into effect in 2010. The country's environment minister said the move will cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 800,000 tons by 2012, according to Reuters.
But this assumes that Australians will significantly reduce their current levels of electrical consumption.
What if a consumer who has a $100 monthly electric bill reduces it to $50 by installing CFLs, but then leaves the new lights on longer, because he's already accustomed to paying $100 per month?
The consumer would be using less raw electricity than before, but not that much less.
"Sometimes when you cut the cost of things, people use more of them," said James S. Shortle, professor of environmental economics at Penn State University.
"People have a certain lighting requirement," said Shortle, and they would be happy to fulfill that need more cheaply.
He suggested that people probably would not turn on their lights more often. "What they might not do is turn them off."
Manufacturers, meanwhile, tout the savings to consumers in reduced electrical costs over the lifetime of the CFL bulb.
The 14-watt N:Vision states on the packaging that it will save the buyer $46 over its lifetime. How did the manufacturer arrive at that number?
CFL makers claim the bulbs have lifetimes of 10,000 hours each, whereas most equivalent 60-watt incandescent bulbs last 1,000 hours.
Based on a rate of $0.10 per kilowatt-hour, a CFL costs $14 to power over its lifetime. The consumer would go through 10 incandescent bulbs in that time, costing a total of $60. Hence, a difference of $46 in electric costs per light fixture.
Since CFLs last longer than incandescents, consumers have to buy fewer bulbs for their fixtures, but here the cost savings are trivial.
At $3.97 for a four-pack of N:Visions versus $1.04 for four Philips incandescents, and assuming 10 incandescents used for every CFL used, a consumer opting for the N:Vision would save about $1.60 per fixture in addition to the electricity conserved.
You won't save a lot of scratch on the bulbs themselves, but at least you'll spend less time changing them.
But what about any drawbacks to CFLs?
CFLs don't operate well in frigid conditions, limiting their use for exterior lighting in cold areas.
According to a spokeswoman from Philips Lighting, most CFLs require a minimum starting temperature of minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit; below that, it's difficult for the bulb's reaction process to begin.
Other problems in cold temps include reduced light output and a pinkish glow, rather than the desirable "soft white" (actually faintly yellow) color.
Those problems alone may make nationwide bans on incandescent bulbs impractical in parts of the United States. Winter temperatures in Australia's southernmost state of Tasmania average 52 degrees Fahrenheit, but Minnesota spends most of its winters between 6 and 16 degrees F.
The bigger problem with CFLs is their mercury content.
Along with the phosphor, which can be one or many of several chemical compounds, mercury helps shift the invisible UV light into the visible part of the spectrum.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association, or NEMA, which sets voluntary industry standards, suggests that CFLs of 25 watts or less — the equivalent of a 100-watt incandescent bulb — contain no more than 5 milligrams of mercury, the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen.
Both CFL manufacturers and the Environmental Protection Agency recommend recycling CFL bulbs, since breaking or incinerating them releases mercury into the air. The poisonous metal can then find its way into soil, water, fish and fish-eating humans.
Sites such as epa.gov/bulbrecycling, lamprecycle.org and earth911.org offer information about where CFLs can be recycled, and certain retailers such as IKEA accept used CFLs for recycling.
Should you break out the hazmat suit if you break a CFL at home? The EPA offers a checklist at epa.gov/mercury that suggests you leave the room for 15 minutes, then return to sweep up and double-bag the mess — and not to vacuum unless absolutely necessary.
So handle with care, lest you end up like Brandy Bridges of Prospect, Maine, who broke a CFL bulb in her daughter's room in March and was told that professional environmental cleaning would cost about $2,000.
According to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Bridges was concerned about any amount of mercury in her house, even at levels far below the state hazard threshold. (Hazardous levels were found on an area of carpet "the size of a dinner plate.")
It was in response to her "nervousness" that the DEP responder who came to her house recommended the cleanup service.
Two months after the incident, state DEP officials came back and found no mercury hazard. Even so, they removed the piece of carpet — which Bridges had planned to take up even before the bulb was broken — at her request.
• Click here for the Maine DEP's account of the events (pdf).
In the meantime, manufacturers are racing for bragging rights to the CFL with the lowest mercury content. Philips says that it sells 19 CFL products at Wal-Mart that contain 40 percent to 60 percent less mercury than the suggested NEMA level of 5 milligrams.
Whether decreases in power-plant emissions are offset by people releasing mercury into the environment by disposing of their CFLs improperly remains to be seen.
One thing's for sure: Using compact fluorescent light bulbs makes sense for anyone paying an electric bill — and who doesn't have butterfingers.
Green tea may affect prostate cancer progression
According to results of a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in green tea demonstrated a significant reduction in serum markers predictive of prostate cancer progression.
"The investigational agent used in the trial, Polyphenon E (provided by Polyphenon Pharma) may have the potential to lower the incidence and slow the progression of prostate cancer," said James A. Cardelli, Ph.D., professor and director of basic and translational research in the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport.
Green tea is the second most popular drink in the world, and some epidemiological studies have shown health benefits with green tea, including a reduced incidence of prostate cancer, according to Cardelli. However, some human trials have found contradictory results. The few trials conducted to date have evaluated the clinical efficacy of green tea consumption and few studies have evaluated the change in biomarkers, which might predict disease progression.
Cardelli and colleagues conducted this open-label, single-arm, phase II clinical trial to determine the effects of short-term supplementation with green tea's active compounds on serum biomarkers in patients with prostate cancer. The biomarkers include hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prostate specific antigen (PSA). HGF and VEGF are good prognostic indicators of metastatic disease.
The study included 26 men, aged 41 to 72 years, diagnosed with prostate cancer and scheduled for radical prostatectomy. Patients consumed four capsules containing Polyphenon E until the day before surgery — four capsules are equivalent to about 12 cups of normally brewed concentrated green tea, according to Cardelli. The time of study for 25 of the 26 patients ranged from 12 days to 73 days, with a median time of 34.5 days.
Findings showed a significant reduction in serum levels of HGF, VEGF and PSA after treatment, with some patients demonstrating reductions in levels of greater than 30 percent, according to the researchers.
Cardelli and colleagues found that other biomarkers were also positively affected. There were only a few reported side effects associated with this study, and liver function remained normal.
Results of a recent year-long clinical trial conduced by researchers in Italy demonstrated that consumption of green tea polyphenols reduced the risk of developing prostate cancer in men with high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN).
"These studies are just the beginning and a lot of work remains to be done, however, we think that the use of tea polyphenols alone or in combination with other compounds currently used for cancer therapy should be explored as an approach to prevent cancer progression and recurrence," Cardelli said.
William G. Nelson, V., M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology, urology and pharmacology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, believes the reduced serum biomarkers of prostate cancer may be attributable to some sort of benefit relating to green tea components.
"Unfortunately, this trial was not a randomized trial, which would have been needed to be more sure that the observed changes were truly attributable to the green tea components and not to some other lifestyle change (better diet, taking vitamins, etc.) men undertook in preparation for surgery," added Nelson, who is also a senior editor for Cancer Prevention Research. However, "this trial is provocative enough to consider a more substantial randomized trial."
In collaboration with Columbia University in New York City, the researchers are currently conducting a comparable trial among patients with breast cancer. They also plan to conduct further studies to identify the factors that could explain why some patients responded more dramatically to Polyphenon E than others. Cardelli suggested that additional controlled clinical trials should be done to see if combinations of different plant polyphenols were more effective than Polyphenon E alone.
"There is reasonably good evidence that many cancers are preventable, and our studies using plant-derived substances support the idea that plant compounds found in a healthy diet can play a role in preventing cancer development and progression," said Cardelli
"The investigational agent used in the trial, Polyphenon E (provided by Polyphenon Pharma) may have the potential to lower the incidence and slow the progression of prostate cancer," said James A. Cardelli, Ph.D., professor and director of basic and translational research in the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport.
Green tea is the second most popular drink in the world, and some epidemiological studies have shown health benefits with green tea, including a reduced incidence of prostate cancer, according to Cardelli. However, some human trials have found contradictory results. The few trials conducted to date have evaluated the clinical efficacy of green tea consumption and few studies have evaluated the change in biomarkers, which might predict disease progression.
Cardelli and colleagues conducted this open-label, single-arm, phase II clinical trial to determine the effects of short-term supplementation with green tea's active compounds on serum biomarkers in patients with prostate cancer. The biomarkers include hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prostate specific antigen (PSA). HGF and VEGF are good prognostic indicators of metastatic disease.
The study included 26 men, aged 41 to 72 years, diagnosed with prostate cancer and scheduled for radical prostatectomy. Patients consumed four capsules containing Polyphenon E until the day before surgery — four capsules are equivalent to about 12 cups of normally brewed concentrated green tea, according to Cardelli. The time of study for 25 of the 26 patients ranged from 12 days to 73 days, with a median time of 34.5 days.
Findings showed a significant reduction in serum levels of HGF, VEGF and PSA after treatment, with some patients demonstrating reductions in levels of greater than 30 percent, according to the researchers.
Cardelli and colleagues found that other biomarkers were also positively affected. There were only a few reported side effects associated with this study, and liver function remained normal.
Results of a recent year-long clinical trial conduced by researchers in Italy demonstrated that consumption of green tea polyphenols reduced the risk of developing prostate cancer in men with high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN).
"These studies are just the beginning and a lot of work remains to be done, however, we think that the use of tea polyphenols alone or in combination with other compounds currently used for cancer therapy should be explored as an approach to prevent cancer progression and recurrence," Cardelli said.
William G. Nelson, V., M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology, urology and pharmacology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, believes the reduced serum biomarkers of prostate cancer may be attributable to some sort of benefit relating to green tea components.
"Unfortunately, this trial was not a randomized trial, which would have been needed to be more sure that the observed changes were truly attributable to the green tea components and not to some other lifestyle change (better diet, taking vitamins, etc.) men undertook in preparation for surgery," added Nelson, who is also a senior editor for Cancer Prevention Research. However, "this trial is provocative enough to consider a more substantial randomized trial."
In collaboration with Columbia University in New York City, the researchers are currently conducting a comparable trial among patients with breast cancer. They also plan to conduct further studies to identify the factors that could explain why some patients responded more dramatically to Polyphenon E than others. Cardelli suggested that additional controlled clinical trials should be done to see if combinations of different plant polyphenols were more effective than Polyphenon E alone.
"There is reasonably good evidence that many cancers are preventable, and our studies using plant-derived substances support the idea that plant compounds found in a healthy diet can play a role in preventing cancer development and progression," said Cardelli
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