Japan’s Efforts to Meet the Kyoto Protocol
Japan has been working hard to meet the energy requirements layed out by the UN’s Kyoto Protocol:
Even though Japan is already among the most frugal countries in the world, the government recently introduced a national campaign, urging the Japanese to replace their older appliances and buy hybrid vehicles, all part of a patriotic effort to save energy and fight global warming. And big companies are jumping on the bandwagon, counting on the moves to increase sales of their latest models.
On the Matsushita appliance showroom floor these days, the numbers scream not the low, low yen prices, but the low, low kilowatt-hours.
It is good to see the Japan is trying to improve energy efficiency. According to the NY Times article other nations are also working hard to improve energy efficiency. I only hope that my own country jumps on the band wagon to improve energy consumption in the coming years.
Just curious: How does Japan’s energy consumption compare to ours, relative to the population? And the low, low, low kilowatt-hours appliances, are they more efficient than ours?
I haven’t done any research on it, but sometimes, things look good on the surface, but if their appliances are a lot less efficient than ours, then maybe we don’t really need to jump on that bandwagon, if you know what I mean.
I am not saying that they shouldn’t be commended for the improvements, but the US seems to get bashed on the kyoto thing, when we if fact, do a lot better than some of those countries that signed on to the kyoto protcol.
although I don't know for sure, I suspect that for some appliances and most cars, a major source of energy consumption is in their construction. I suspect that the construction of a car is equivilent to driving that car for upwards of, oh, 50,000 km. A better plan would be to reduce not replace.
I think recycling is still a science in it's early days. The old appliances will end up, in part or in whole, in a landfill site, and that is a another problem area.
It strikes me that this is more of a sales technique than a sincere attempt to protect the environment. I don't understand economics at all, but I think this is part of 'maintaining the bubble' of inflation.