Seeing our world through a better light

In 1950 the population of the U.S. was 178 million and we consumed 10 trillion watt-hours of energy. In just 50 years, by 2009, the energy consumption of the U.S. was up by a staggering 1,400 percent or 1,400 trillion watt-hours, while the population had not even doubled to 302 million. As much as 66 percent of the energy generated in America is lost during production. Add an additional 7 percent loss during transmission to your home or business, that means nearly 3/4 of energy is lost as waste. Approximately 700 million fluorescent bulbs were discarded last year. If Americans recycled 1/3 of those bulbs, which may be a generous figure, then where did all that mercury go? Such statistics are enough to make one’s head spin – where are we headed in the name of progress? And have we thrown caution to the winds? In response to the above sobering concerns, countries have taken the lead in stemming environmental destruction. One of the earliest accords was Directive 2002/95/EC of January 2003 passed by the European Parliament and WEEE, The Council on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. Six materials were classified as serious health risks to humans and also the environment alike; mercury, cadmium, lead, chromium VI, Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs). Restriction of the above six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products came under the umbrella of RoHS, an acronym for the Removal Of Hazardous Substances. On July 1, 2006 all applicable products being sold in the EU were mandated to be RoHS compliant as these materials were considered to be hazardous to the environment and pollute landfills from their manufacturing and recycling. Although no new substances have been added, we enter Phase 2 of RoHS in July 2012 to also include control devices and control & monitoring instruments. The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan but not enacted or enforced until February 2005 was adopted to help combat the adverse effects of climate change, or global warming. The essence of the Kyoto Protocol is that it calls for nations to commit themselves to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As of 1987, 187 states had signed and ratified the protocol. The fact that the United States signed but did not ratify the Kyoto protocol has been a subject of controversy and frustration in the international community. By signing the Treaty, but not ratifying it, the U.S. demonstrated support for the protocol but would not be held responsible if the emission targets were not met. The logic was that developing nations should not be excluded else it would put our economy in jeopardy. The goal of the Kyoto protocol is to reduce the four harmful greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride i.e. the two broad groups of hydrofluorocarbons, and perfluorocarbons. Even though the U.S. has not ratified the protocol, several states have already started to move toward environmental responsibility. That will be the subject of my next article.