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9 Comments
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Re: When is a market "transformed"?
2006-06-26 11:37:03 UTC
Stuart from Ottawa posed an interesting question, when can one declare a program to 'transform' a populations purchasing choice for Compact Fluorescent Lamps a success? In posing that question he referred to the seasonal LED campaign and by implication declaring it a success, which I believe it is based on my observation of sales in the local market. This happened over three years. Strikes me that if you assume seasonal LED effort did "transform" then looking at how and why would be useful. My sense is the seasonal LED has several things going for it, these are just opinions. The light looked different and this was and advantage as the unique light became a badge of honor a signal that you cared, knew enough etc. Second there was no 'bulb failure' pain/problem. Third your/my conscious was eased given the low power consumption, still use a timer mind you but--. Now on the other side there is the issue of built in obsolescence. Look at the bicycle lighting market, transformed to LED based on functionality and practicality (performance).
Some comments.
Forrest -
Re: Looking for CFL barrier research and successful CFL programs
2006-06-16 12:59:31 UTC
Greetings In explaining the reason CFL (compact fluorescent lights) are more efficient I pose the question--- ever change a light bulb? Did you notice that a fluorescent tube or CFL is cool to the touch while the other can burn you fingers. Why is this?--- Incandescent are less efficient, they produce a lot of waste heat. One then goes on to make the point about how long they last. On the issue of lasting-- LED (light emitting diode) exit lights-operators of buildings will often install these as replacements, not to save energy but to reduced stepladder effort (once a decade). This also applies to hard to reach incandescent bulbs in conventional uses; a CFL is easy on the stepladder effort. Despite all of that, fluorescent still looks different no if and or buts. This opinion is based; not on what was available but what is available in Victoria BC today even if they say, "improved". Here where we have mild winters I use them on exterior lights at the entrances, these fixtures are difficult to open for changing bulbs and quality of light is not much of an issue. Bottom line everything has its application you just have to speak into the persons listening.
Forrest -
Re: **SPAM** Small scale solar panelling
2006-06-15 17:21:58 UTC
From your description and location, suspect you live in a house built in the 40 or 50s with a pitched shingle roof and an attic. When you had the roof replaced they increased the ventilation of the attic space. With a well-vented attic space not only do you minimize the possibility of moisture accumulation and damage in the winter, you dissipate any heat absorbed by the shingles in both winter and summer. As for small-scale single room solar unit to buy for heating your office effectively in Winnipeg I have my doubts. If you have a warm air furnace and there is no large solar gain window area that you can pull heat from and circulate using you furnace fan, then an effective source of heat is electric infra-red as you can focus it on you and thus heat directly the important element, yourself. Indirectly of course the room gets heated and many floor units have ambient air thermostats sensors for control. Some thoughts for consideration.
Forrest -
Re: Plastic Shopping Bag Reduction
2006-06-07 12:28:06 UTC
I do not work specifically in this area but I can advise from personal experience that you might want to consider partnering with as many retail outlets that you can and encourage a rebate for plastic bags not used. Here in Victoria BC one grocery store credits your bill three cents for every bag you bring and reuse including old plastic ones. They also sell reusable bags as do the provincial government liquor stores. So that is another idea, encourage retail outlets to promote and demonstrate their ethic "we care" by selling reusable bags as a marketing effort. I have heard that in some jurisdiction in the world they have imposed a tax on plastic bags and understand it might be as high as 15 cents to encourage alternatives. Here in Victoria BC plastic makes up 14% of the waste in the landfill, now some of it consists of plastic bags for garbage but we do have a hard plastic recycling program so most of it is bags, plastic wrap for food, Styrofoam meat trays etc.
For your consideration,
Forrest -
Re: Best City Policies to Reduce Air Pollution?
2006-05-08 11:13:39 UTC
Suggest an Idling By-law. This makes excellent sense as it is cost effective, simple and reduces pollution. For a current report on the status of anti-idling by-laws in Canadian municipalities, a rational for the effort and a model by-law for adoption see http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/gtacac/pdf/situational_analysis_0405.pdf
Good Luck
Forrest
R Forrest Smith
EcoSol Consulting Inc.
1512 Regents Place
Victoria BC V8S 1Y4
Phone: 250-595-2880
www.ecosolcan.com -
Re: Municipal employee conservation program
2006-05-03 17:24:40 UTC
Tim Take a look at this site http://www.sustainablecommunities.ca/Capacity_Building/Energy/Municipal_Buil ding_Retrofit_Guide/ for the retrofit side and while I do not have the link the following publication should be of use for your purpose: " Energy Efficiency Planning And Management Guide"
NRCan Canadian Industrial Program for Energy Conservation says it all for managing a building program for energy effectiveness. Good luck,
Forrest
R Forrest Smith
EcoSol Consulting Inc.
1512 Regents Place
Victoria BC V8S 1Y4
Phone: 250-595-2880
www.ecosolcan.com -
Re: re looking for research on water restrictions
2006-01-16 14:43:06 UTC
For your information with respect to cost of water, here in Victoria British Columbia as a resident our costs are much lower than those being reported for Australia. The bill here has three components: 1. A fixed fee based on service entrance size--residential is typically 0.62 inches and costs $28.05 for four months-a 'demand' charge which goes as high as $1,000 for and eight inch feed. Seems to make sense. 2. Constant water rate is $1.48 per 100 cubic feet or $0.62/kL 3. Sewer surcharge is $0.73 per 100 cubic feet or say 30 cents/kL (not certain but recall this is typically in the order of a 50% surcharge here) We have a reservoir in a protected watershed that was recently expanded significantly to satisfy demand (population growth). In the winter, rain fills the reservoir (next to no snow and or ice here) and in the summer when we get next to no rain we drain the community rain barrel and treat it of course. On the conservation side, there are watering restrictions in the summer for lawns at two levels, one allows infrequent and the second no watering of lawns. First stage restrictions are routine, second stage restrictions are not. As a matter of policy and regulation for building permits four-liter toilets and low flow showerheads are required. There is also a rebate program to encourage retrofit of low flow toilets ($65), showerheads ($10) and frount loading clothes washers ($125). It is interesting to note that several years ago before the reservoir was raised, we had a real problem (low winter rain fall hence a short fall in the reservoir). The community consumption and reservoir water level were reported on the frount page of the newspaper every Friday (as I recall) and as a community we significantly cut consumption, big time. The feedback and communication effort made the necessity come alive and be real for individuals. It was the talk of the town. A brown lawn was a signal of ones contribution to the community or perhaps self interest-water available for fire protection. Price was not really a consideration, as supply was the issue.
Forrest -
Re: Promoting Fuel Efficient Vehicles -- Strategies for programs
2005-11-07 15:18:07 UTC
Greetings
Vancity here in British Columbia did offer loans for 'fuel efficient' vehicles at a discount that is a loan at Prime for 5 years for up to $35,000 when I purchased. Further the Provincial Government here offers a rebate of a portion of the sales tax (amounted to some $700 on my Prius). As laudable as these initiatives are, not sure an incentives like these are the driving force behind for example the purchase of a Prius, which has one on a wait list of several months to buy. It was interesting to note at the local dealer sponsored Prius buyer night shortly after I acquired mine, that most of the people in the room were definitely over 40 and very environmentally tuned in and interested in the technology. My salesman advised at the time of purchase that nobody leases a Prius and all pay cash or borrow the money independent of any dealer/Toyota financial offering. I have checked the used car adds several times and have yet to see a used Prius for sale. More to the point with respect to financial, the taxi fleets here are shifting in large numbers to Prius more so than any other place in Canada based on what I have seen. They get the money at prime and make enough savings in gas (99.9 cents a liter today) to make the payments. As an example last week I was in a taxi/Prius that was three months old and he had some 29,000 km on his, which is more than I have on mine, which is 18 months old, so obviously his annual savings are many orders of magnitude larger than mine. The word in the taxi world here is great car, reliable, next to no maintenance and it look like it will pay for itself in three years. Previously the habit was to buy second hand Police cars. Sense that the financial incentive at the tax level and by financial institutions is more a marketing and promotional effort, causing individuals to think and is not necessarily a financial deal maker (still important but). Ordinary individuals buy the sizzle (technology, public statement, environmental impact). The real economic value rests with the high mileage drivers like taxi operators.
R Forrest Smith
EcoSol Consulting Inc.
1512 Regents Place Victoria BC V8S 1Y4 -
Re: Uncompensated values that farmers provide community
2005-11-03 16:29:37 UTC
Einstein's quote seems to apply here. "Not everything that counts can be counted. Not everything that can be counted counts."
R Forrest Smith
Victoria BC V8S 1Y4
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