We are looking for Web sites or other sources for interesting facts and figures about sustainability. More specifically, these would be "equivalents." For example, someone at a conference I attended said that it requires the energy of burning 100 matches to manufacture one sheet of paper. I've heard that if every home in the U.S. were to switch from one incandescent light bulb to a CFL, the energy saved would make it possible to shut down some number (???) of coal fired power plants. The equivalents would translate abstract/complex aspects related to sustainability and going green into terms that the general public could relate to -- even in a fun or unusual way. Topics are wide open, including green aspects of energy, construction, transportation, food, manufacturing, etc.
Doug Freeman,
Producer-Writer
Arnold Creek Productions, Inc.
PO Box 2402 Lake Oswego, OR 97035
[email protected]
http://www.arnoldcreekproductions.com
Looking for Interesting Facts and Figures on Sustainability
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There is now a calculator at nature.org
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Many of these can be calculated if you make a few assumptions.... Fro example, the incandescent to CF switch. The EPA is trying to get every household in the US to change one lamp. If 100,000,000 households did that then what? Assume: incandescent = 75 W CF = 25 W Savings = 50 W/household Total Savings = 5 billion Watts = 5 million kW = 5,000 MW The coal fired plant north of here is rated at about 250 MW, so this savings is equivalent to 20 power plants. Of course there is the issue of how many hours the lamp is used vs. the hours the power plant runs, but on a "back of the envelope" level this puts things in perspective (and makes the point that it is not trivial).
Thanks & Adios,
CJD
Carol J. Dollard, P.E., LEED AP
Utility Engineer
[email protected]