Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Big State Government Now Wants Your T.V.

You see we need to save energy because too much energy usage makes the power plants burn more fossil fuels which we know pollutes the earth and causes Global Warming. If we don't stop Global Warming, we will find ourselves underwater or starving or destroyed by killer weather just like that realistic movie, "The Day After Tomorrow." So, your T.V. needs to be regulated. It's for the greater good.

California state regulators, who have limited automobile emissions and required large utilities to increase use of renewable energy, now are taking aim at a ubiquitous household item - the television.

Consumer demand for bigger, flatter and fancier TVs has dramatically increased the amount of energy needed to watch the tube, officials say. The California Energy Commission says a 42-inch plasma television uses more energy than a large refrigerator...

To reduce the electrical draw from TVs, the commission has proposed the nation's first mandatory energy limits on televisions - limits that many large LCD and plasma TVs on the market do not meet.

"We want to get rid of energy-guzzling televisions," said Adam Gottlieb, spokesman for the state energy commission.

The proposed rules would take effect from 2011 to 2013, eventually cutting the use of power by 50 percent.

How long before this idea goes federal?

5 comments:

Harrison said...

TVs do waste a lot of energy. I suppose it is no different than providing minimum fuel economy standards. I would rather see this type of thing be voluntary with credits offered to companies that reach the goals but in the big scheme of things it's not that bad although it is an intrusion of the government into private commerce. You have to pick you battles.

Jeffrey Perren said...

None of their freakin' business, of course, but if you're interested, here is some data on electricity usage.

TV power consumption in general.

139 TVs compared.

Refrigerator usage, by type and age.

No, I am not Mr. Electricity.

Anonymous said...

TVs do not waste any energy, they require a person to turn them on and use them. If people took responsibility and do not turn the TV on and walk away when they are not using it, that would be a hell of a lot more useful then a government program or control. This enviro-fascism has to stop.

Harrison said...

Okay, from the perspective of logic yes, TVs do not waste electricity however many do use a lot more electricity to display the same picture as other models. We are not talking about forcing somebody to drive a small car and put their life at risk in an accident we are talking about buying more efficient TVs that use less power.

Turning them off when not in use also helps, too.

The Vegas Art Guy said...

And that's why I left CA in 1993...