12/09/2007
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Staff photo by Jeff Poulandfrom the Kennebec Journal
Sport of Kings
New Medicaid billing system inspires doubts among some
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Trust eyes orchard purchase
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YOUTH SOCCER: Local team gives 'care package' to children in Afghanistan
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New system for Medicaid payments worries providers
After petition drive, Clinton police force budget will go a third time before voters
A rock musician makes trip home via Black Taxi
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GOLFER OF THE YEAR: Sweet does job for Madison
YOUTH SOCCER: Local team gives 'care package' to children in Afghanistan
All of today's:
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from the Morning Sentinel
"How much?" the Grove Street resident asked. "Free? That's pretty good. I was just thinking about getting a bunch."
At that, Iver Lofving of Skowhegan and William Basford of Benton launched into an explanation of the benefits of the bulbs, how much energy they save, where to install them and where they can be purchased cheaply in bulk.
The two men, along with Thomas Berger of Oakland, were on a mission to interest people in saving energy -- beginning with spiral, energy-efficient light bulbs.
Calling their effort "The Light Brigade," the men had collected nearly $160 in donations to purchase bulbs and other people had purchased the light bulbs and donated them, according to Basford.
"We had 70 at the (Universalist Unitarian) church and another 80 to give away door-to-door," Basford said. Among big donors was John D. Joseph, who gave $100 toward the bulbs, he said.
On Saturday the three men met at Jorgensen's restaurant on Main Street and set out to deliver the bulbs free of charge, figuring it would take about two hours. They will deliver more as they become available.
People such as Bouchard and Chastity Stewart agreed the time has come to be more energy conscious.
"Thank you. I think this a good thing to help save energy," Stewart said. "We already have a couple of these in our bathroom."
The men are members of the Central Maine Peak Oil Group, which meets at 10:45 a.m. the first Sunday of every month at the church in Waterville to determine ways to curb energy use in central Maine.
"One of the best ways to save a lot of electricity is to install a compact, fluorescent bulb," Lofving said. "It will save up to $80 of electricity in its lifetime and it only costs about a dollar after rebate. We hope to figure out ways to beat this energy crisis. Working together, we can."
Basford said he and the others in the group recognized the pending decline in oil production more than a year ago and said "it is right on schedule.
"We started a year and half ago when the state announced incentives for the innovative photo-voltaic solar panels," Basford said. At that time, he said the cost for the panels for a home in Waterville was estimated at $20,000. The light bulbs are far better bargain, he said.
"You save 100 times the electricity for each $1 invested," Basford said. Each bulb provides 10,000 hours, he said. Typically, it will last five to seven years.
The energy efficient bulb is only one of many ways to save money, but it opens people's minds to the possibilities, the trio said.
People can insulate homes and water tanks, install energy-efficient windows, fix water drips and leaks, buy energy-saving cars, turn the heat down, and before they know it, their costs will go down -- and so does the drain on the country's energy reserves.
Berger said Smart Cars are scheduled to be unveiled in February, get 60 miles to a gallon of fuel and cost between $12,000 and $13,000. And LED Christmas lights, he said, use one-tenth the energy that regular bulbs do and cost about $8 a string.
"And Santa can still find your house," Lofving joked.
Berger said he has a large house near a lake that he super insulated and now it costs him only $250 a year to heat the entire home.
Lofving said he, too, made energy changes, saving energy costs of about $2,500 a year.
"Now we can still go to a movie or eat out once in a while," Lofving said. "It allows us to live in the lifestyle we have become accustomed to. You can live a decent life with a lot less energy --now is the time.
Darla L. Pickett -- 474-9534, Ext. 341
dpickett@centralmaine.com
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The Central Maine Peak Oil group is trying to get awareness of the energy crisis in this area, so that people are more prepared. Thanks for your interest. Please come to our next meeting, on the 6th of January at the UU Church in Waterville. Upstairs in the Meditation room. Google peak oil, see what comes up. report abuse
You've not disputed a SINGLE word I wrote (or copied and pasted). Not one.
I trust the EPA's statements on the hazards of mercury exposure more than some anonymous radical wingnut on this blog who won't cite governmental studies or facts, and instead offers a factless personal distribe.
That is not rational discussion, nor science. That is merely the raving of a true "believer." You overzealous believers that are hostile to science and the EPA are no different than any other radical fundamentalists. You're dangerous.
You radicals that cannot, or are unwilling to, engage in rational discussion, are actually HURTING the cause, not helping it -- just like Al Gore and his exaggerations, $10,000/month power bill, and globe trotting private jets.
China puts a new coal fired power plant online EVERY WEEK. A few CFL bulbs in your house won't do *squat*, globally.
What do you think the environmental impact of 100 million+ CFL bulbs containing mercury, leaching into the groundwater, will be in 10 or 20 years? Nothing? Get real!
As I said before, I will compare my carbon footprint to yours any time. I'd be willing to bet I'm more of an 'environmentalist' than you are, despite your irrational, anti-science, anti-EPA, true-believer rhetoric.report abuse
If you had your own original thoughts then you wouldn't have to plagiarize. I have to concur that you may not have the ability to make ordinary decisions. Another nice example of what not to be.report abuse
"Being a gas discharge lamp, a CFL will not generate all frequencies of visible light; the actual color rendering index is a design compromise. With less than perfect color rendering, CFLs can be unsatisfactory for inside lighting, but modern, high quality designs are sometimes acceptable for home use."
CFL's do NOT produce the same quality or quantity of light as incandescent, LED, or halogen-cycle lighting systems. That is the inconvenient truth.
Perhaps you should revert to candles?
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"How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb? The following steps can be performed by the general public: 1.Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more. 2.Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag. Use disposable rubber gloves, if available (i.e., do not use bare hands). Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.3.Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag. Place the first bag in a second sealed plastic bag and put it in the outdoor trash container or in another outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal.Note: some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center.Wash your hands after disposing of the bag. 4.If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet: First, remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal."
Sounds REALLY "Earth Friendly," huh ?!! PaperReader, spreading lies about your pet cause puts the entire movement toward green consciousness. SHAME on you!!!report abuse
Your pointless ad hominem attacks and the level of rabid contempt for any dissent, that is so clear in your post, will not save the planet nor gain you any support. You are preaching to the choir, Mr. Knowsbetterthaneveryoneelsechickenlittle....
Maybe you should shut down your energy wasting PC and stick to reading newsprint. You are wasting energy and killing the planet with your web surfing. Thanks a lot, hypocrite.
PS If you want to attack someone personally for using more than their "fair share" of energy, look into Al Gore's KW/H usage at his huge mansion...
PPS I'd GLADLY compare my "carbon footprint" to yours any day, so don't make ignorant assumptions about strangers.report abuse
Bjorn, if you want to drive around without emission controls, have an uninsulated house, a coal burning furnace and consume 4 times the energy just to turn on a light then you don't have enough information to make ordinary decisions. The fact that your ignorance impacts us all is no fairy tale either. We all have to pay the extra costs of peak power usage, environmental damage and personal health risks by people with this attitude.
No one is "deciding" what is wasteful. The product specifications spell that out pretty clearly. You have to have the ability to read and comprehend the difference is all.
Pretty much everything you said Bjorn exhibits an ignorance and backwards mentality. You are a prefect profile of what not to be. Thanks for providing the example.report abuse
Also, the "Smart" car as sold in the US is projected to get 40MPG, not 60, and will START at $14K and go up to $20K. Besides its obvious drawbacks in size and safety, it is rear wheel drive and won't handle a ME winter very well.
Also, NO xmas lights means a 100% reduction in energy consumption and ZERO dollars spent on chinese junk and energy and ZERO Co2 emissions...and that's the problem with other people deciding what is "wasteful" and what isn't ... these are lines individuals need to draw for themselves, not have imposed upon them with disaster fairy tales and exaggerations.
I'm sure the Peak Oil types feel great about doing *something* but I'm not sure these actions will avert their predicitions of doom, if indeed true.report abuse
Also, the LED holiday light sets are available now. They are more expensive then conventional bulb sets but use something like 90% less energy and won't burn out for a very long time. I bought a set of colored ones and was surprised to see how bright they are. They are much more colorful than the conventional bulbs too.
They say 20% of your electric bill is used for lighting on average. Given that the CFLs use 25% of the power used by conventional bulbs, you can shave 15% off your light bill by converting. Just replace them one at a time as the old bulbs burn out and it isn't as hard on the budget. A 3-pack of bulbs is under $8. Not a bad investment. report abuse
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