Myths of the century may be getting in the way of protecting sound environmental facts. It has been over 40 years since the Keystone XL pipeline thanks to a well educated public and a strong lobbying force in favor of environmentalist. Sometimes, however the details can get murky and misappropriated, and often some of the biggest myths about the environment continue to be pervasive in the public conscious. In the spirit of contributing to the successful environmental movement that continues to make an impact on our lives, lets run through some popular environmental myths that may not only be damaging to the environment but to your wallet as well.
1. Switched Off Appliances Do Not Use Power
It seems almost counter-intuitive, how can an electronic device with the off switch engaged actually draw power? In fact they should have renamed the button “almost off”, since your appliance will still be using power as long as it is connected to a power outlet. Known as the vampire effect or phantom load, this issue s usually limited to devices that tend to be in standby mode for most of their life cycle. A good example would be a television, which is activated via remote control whenever the user presses the power button. Logically, the TV and remote would have to have been partially on in order to conduct its own function. In fact, phantom loads are especially a modern culprit given the plethora of devices that have a standby feature to them such as cell phone chargers, devices with clocks, air conditioners, cordless phones, inkjet printers, toaster ovens and all the new generation smart devices that interface with some computer system or server. Do not be fooled into thinking that phantom loads are just an extra dollar in your energy bill and collateral damage that is well worth the convenience of using a remote to turn something on. Rather, according to a study conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, phantom loads can be responsible for 15-30 watts worth of electricity per appliance.1 Doing the math on that, that comes to $4 billion in annual electric costs just from phantom loads, or 5% of your typical monthly energy bill. Some tips for avoiding excessive phantom loads include being cognizant of the type of devices using remote controls and whether these devices are even being used to an appreciable degree. Unplug chargers that are not in use, and try to use power strips that turn off multiple plug points at the same time. Indeed, the best solution is merely to pull the plug.
2. Energy Conservation = Energy Efficiency2
All too often people interchange and use the terms energy efficiency and energy conservation synonymously. I admit, I have also been guilty of this mix up but now I have re-educated myself to set the record straight. Energy conservation can be thought of as the bulk reduction in energy usage, while energy efficiency has more to do with using less energy to carry out the same functions. Energy conservation can be achieved through energy efficiency, but one can also conserve energy by reducing functions such as reducing the use of air conditioning when not required. Although this seems far too pedantic in terms of definition, the use of these words influences public policy and public opinion to a great effect. For example, one may use energy efficient appliances, but the effect is nullified if their net consumption of power is higher. Therefore, it is important to drive advocacy and awareness towards both energy conservation and energy efficiency.
3. You Should Always Choose Organic Products3
I have always had a pet peeve about using the word pesticides , and fertilizers.4 The idea is to lower your exposure to manmade toxic substances, and this all sounds great, a positive move towards removing the synthetic in our lives.
In general, going locally grown food , although maybe not organic, can work wonders in carbon management, especially since most of our food travels 1300 miles before reaching dinner tables around the country. Additionally, organic food will almost always be more costly since not only is it branded as a sort of luxury item but significant management costs are incurred by the farmer who isn’t allowed to used conventional growing methods that are liberal with pesticides and fertilizer. From a health perspective, there is also the added risk of consuming pests given that there are no pesticides used with organic farming. Overall, however, organic food does offer a healthier alternative in terms of reducing risk of exposure to harmful toxic substances.
4. Hybrid Vehicles are Better for the Environment5
In recent years, hybrid technology has exploded across the entire auto market from small compacts such as the Toyota Prius C to $1.15 million supercars such at the Mclaren P1.6 Given the tantalizing array of hybrids available from hybrid SUV’s to hybrid full size sedans, a lot of us are made to believe that a hybrid in any flavor will be energy saving and economical. Unfortunately, this is an apples to oranges comparison that does not take into account the decision to choose a smaller vehicle that better serves ones function as a hybrid. Of course, a Hummer H1 hybrid would hypothetically be more economical than a regular gasoline Hummer, similarly it would still be a gluttonous gas guzzler compared to a full size Lexus LS hybrid. A real world example would be a Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid,7 which someone manages to give a mere 20/23 miles per gallon city and highway. On the other hand, if one is in need of space, a Ford Escape hybrid8 manages to give 34/31 miles per gallon without being that much smaller. The hybrid concept manages to improve fuel economy largely due to a reduction in the engine size combined with a regenerative braking system that prevents the enormous loss in city fuel economy. The electric motor in most hybrid cars can only carry you a few miles by itself, and therefore even more important than choosing a hybrid car is choosing the right kind of car for your daily needs. Even choosing a non-hybrid small car, such as a Nissan Versa, is still better for the environment than choosing a large hybrid car that not only consumes more fuel but could cost a fortune by virtue of it being hybrid.
5. Planting Trees Will Reverse Climate Change
Climate change, often referred to as carbon sequesters , but unfortunately the further away trees are planted from the equator the less of an effect they would have in saving the earth from the perils of climate change. In fact, trees planted further from the equator have a tendency of trapping heat and further warming the earth in what is known as the Albedo effect. According to recent findings, high latitude forests may actual increase global temperatures by as much as10 degrees Celsius over the next 100 years.9
In environmental awareness, we have come a long way as a society towards promoting positive and responsible behaviors. Nonetheless, a few misconceptions can obscure our understanding of environmental details to the degree of maybe even causing environmental damage rather than preventing it. While there may be several myths about the environment, the good news is that there are far more details that are well understood and are continuing to influence people’s lives on a daily basis.
