We all hear so much about the environmental damage of fossil fuel power generation, and how we all need to do our bit to reduce energy consumption, but the facts about the best way to do this are mired in controversy and misinformation. When you use an electric kettle, or a gas fire in your home, are you conscious of the energy consumption of that device and the source of its power? How much difference can a single household make to reducing the use of fossil fuels? So many questions, and it can all seem far too complicated to engage us and motivate us to make an effort.
The push towards replacing gasoline and diesel-engine cars with hybrids and eventually all-electric vehicles is being hailed as the answer to harmful emissions from car exhausts. No more filling the car with toxic liquids that release tons of carbon dioxide into the air, just plug the car in and charge up the batteries with nice clean electricity. Sounds brilliant, until you stop and think about where the electricity is coming from. If it’s being generated from fossil fuel power stations, isn’t that going to be just as polluting as driving a gasoline-powered car? What about the energy and materials used in the construction of an electric car, is it more or less than a petrol car? How do you find out the truth and get a complete picture?
You probably have a collection of electrical appliances that make doing chores and housework a whole lot easier. Most of them run on electricity, and some are battery powered. Do you know which is less harmful to the environment? The science of batteries can seem pretty complicated – just have a look at the information provided by pickvacuumcleaner.com about batteries for cordless vacuum cleaners. If you have a boiler, you have probably been inundated with recommendations about upgrading it and the benefits of a condensing boiler. If you use oil for your heating, should you consider changing your oil tank for an underground gas tank?
Where to find answers
The first thing to realize is that as technology develops and science advances, what is known about all these questions can alter and even change completely over time. The second thing to understand is that the media is mostly concerned with generating headlines rather than reporting all the facts. What they say in their stories may be perfectly true, but they might have left out half the story, which causes readers to believe what’s published while being ignorant of the whole truth. Thirdly, the energy industry is vast and enormously powerful, and every sector within it wants to promote their business and increase their profits. To get to the truth, look for independent research and websites that provide information based on the most up to date scientific evidence.
There are no simple responses to the question “how green is your power source,” but by looking for answers in the right places, you should get much clearer and more accurate information on which to make decisions about what you want to do to make changes.