Japan bans power crazy bulbs

Good news indeed. I am hoping that the UK will now follow suit but I doubt it. I was watching Sky News live a couple of days ago, and I caught Bush talking about his signing of the new energy dependance bill. The bill had an easy passage through Congress with excellent support from the Republicans. Lawmakers have described this as a "historic" energy bill to improve fuel economy and reduce demand for oil. The legislation, passed by the Senate last week, is due to be signed into law by President George W Bush. It will mandate the first increase in vehicle fuel economy since 1975 while boosting ethanol production and making electrical appliances more efficient. However plans to raise taxes on oil firms and set renewable targets were unfortunately dropped, due to pressure from the Republicans. Environmental campaigners have broadly welcomed the bill, which attempts to address what President Bush has called the country's "chronic" dependence on oil. The US seeks to reduce its reliance on foreign oil imports, amid concerns about global energy security and the soaring cost of crude imports. The bill will not lead to an increase in either domestic oil or gas production, a situation which one Republican opponent of the legislation described as "lousy", but hopefully this means that the expansion of oil production across Alaska, and other "virgin" territory is now halted. The main measure in the bill is a 40% increase in the standard fuel efficiency of cars and lorries to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 A US gallon is of course 1/5 smaller than the Imperial Gallon, so, this translates into a whopping equivalent average of 43.75 mpg (UK). Bye-bye gas guzzlers. So, why can't the United Staes of Europe get THEIR collective heads together around that one and get a similar agreement ratified? This is expected to reduce oil demand by up to four million barrels a day by 2030 and, its supporters claim, lower motorists' costs by up to $1,000 (£500) a year. The pursuit of alternative energy sources will focus on ethanol, with production set to increase fivefold to 36 billion gallons a year by 2020. The emphasis will be on developing ethanol from non-food sources such as wood chips, human and agricultural waste. The legislation also foresees annual savings of $13bn (£6.5) from the phasing out of energy-intensive light bulbs by 2014 (come on Britain.. the US are beating you to this one by setting a target date!), while dishwashers, freezers and washing machines will all be required, by law, to consume far less energy. These appliances will have to demonstrate the "A" grade as a minimum. Initial efforts to include commitments on the amount of renewable energy power firms must generate were dropped after opposition from Republican members (again!) and the White House. Nevertheless the Sierra Club, an environmental group, said the bill marked a "clean break with the failed energy policies of the past". The energy plan also includes funding to build biogas converters, such as we have here in Ludlow, which turn green waste into electricity and soil improver, dramatically reducing landfill, and the Federal government is providing funds for further investment into a massive expansion into the research and development of solar and other renewables. On the same day, two days ago, it was announced that the world's FIRST CO2 FREE COAL FIRED POWER STATION is being built…. Guess where? Yes, you got it, and it's not China or India.. in the Good Ol' USA of course! Mattoon, Illinois to be precise. It has been developed, and is being built, by a partner ship of Federal Government and private industry. This is pretty remarkable technology … I am astonished that neither of the above events have been aired in the British media, which is why, by posting it here and elsewhere, it will shame Britain and other countries into action. Demand for oil is at an all-time high, fuelled by the continued breakneck economic expansion of the Indian (5th largest world consumer and Chinese (world's second largest consumer) economies. With more than a billion people in each country, and both economies growing fast, manufacturers and consumers are sucking in energy at an ever-increasing rate. China overtook Japan as the world's second-largest consumer of oil in 2003 and is now closing in on the US, with demand for oil growing at about 15% a year. Analysts worry that global demand for oil is so intense that supplies will not keep pace. Demand will rise by an average of 2.2 million barrels a day next year, the International Energy Agency says, compared with the 1.5 million-barrel rise seen in 2007. It says annual demand will rise 2% up to 2012, while other projections suggest demand could soar from about 90 million barrels a day to as much as 140 million over 25 years. The Bali talks have sought a mandate to widen Kyoto to all nations beyond 2012. Of the top world's top five emitters Kyoto only cuts Japan's greenhouse gases; the US is outside the pact whilst China and India are both exempt and Russia faces easy caps. Perhaps I am being rather negative and cynical here, but regardless of what the US or anyone in "The West" does, I think that we will continue down an inevitable course as the world's population continues to explode, until the average Brit wonders why his power's gone off and he will miss the next episode of East Enders. By the time the Pacific islanders have left their flooded homes for good, I will probably be long gone, but it does not stop me from pressuring and doing my bit. Anyhows, I will continue to support Greenpeace's excellent work with my continued donations but would like to see a rather more positive slant when good news arrives from the US. Oh.. and do continue to keep us informed of the "bad" stuff too!

When it comes to invention, robotics, and other highly develop merchandise, Japan is famous because of this things. Japan is one of the richest country in the world but nowadays, aside from the economic problem that the world is experiencing, Japan’s is headed for disaster according to some, as the rate of births per couple has fallen below the break-even point, and it will start causing damage, just like an expense can cause damage unless treated with a payday loan. Some companies have even taken to letting employees off early a day or two a week to create future employees. Experts say they have to fix it quickly, like a faxless payday loan can fix your budget quickly. Read more about payday loans and other things at the Money Blog.