Anthony's Trail: Make your own Green-house!

In a previous blog post we promised that we'd share some hints and tips on how to lower your domestic energy consumption! In Europe, about 75% of the energy used in the home is used for space heating. Luckily, we have a very mild climate here in Malta, but in some other countries the temperature can be in the negative degress celsius for a large part of the year and can go as far down as -40'C. Many countries in Europe have issues such as frozen water pipes during the winter months. In Malta we have more of a space cooling issue in summer than a space heating issue in winter. That said, I've heard many people complain that they feel cold inside their homes in winter, despite having the AC, electric radiators or gas heaters on and I suspect that that has much to do with construction inadequacies. 

Anyway here are some tips on how to lower your energy consumption in the home: 

Change your light bulbs! Energy saving light bulbs can reduce your consumption while not affecting your quality of lighting. Older energy saving bulbs take long to heat up until they reach their full strength, but nowadays there are good bulbs that don't take anytime to heat up, they're just like regular bulbs (but better!). I use 11W energy saving bulbs that shine as much as 60W bulbs and don't take any time to "heat up". Also, it's a good idea to choose the wattage of your bulbs depending on the "activity" you use them for. Identify bulbs you use for reading and ones you need for dim lighting and select appropriate wattages. 

Reduce Vampire Power- this means switching off all equipment from standby. Many people think that this is just a myth, but really, a lot of your energy goes down the drain by leaving music systems, TVs, DVD players, mobile chargers etc etc on standby.

Buy appliances that are rated as energy efficient. Try to aim for A or A+ appliances, these are very common now and most new technology is A or A+. All domestic appliances sold in the EU should be marked with the certificate shown below. Check it - it will save you money. 

Use less energy for heating/cooling: Set the thermostats of your ACs/central heating systems to the lowest temperature which is comfortable, in winter, and the highest temperature which is comfortable, in summer. So in summer your ACs should be set at around 25'C and not 16'C. Setting the AC temperature at too low a temperature puts a lot of strain on the AC unit and is overkill. Also, wear appropriate clothing, indoors, according to the weather: wear several layers in winter and as little clothing as possible (while remaining decent!) in summer. 

That's just the beginning. Check out the presentations, prepared by our friends at 5elemento (a Portugese NGO) attached for a long list of hints and tips for reducing your energy cosumption. Most of these are very simple and don't take any time or money and can save you money on your energy bill.

Tips 1


Tips 2

Anthony's Trail: Renewable Energy in the EU

88.1% of the world's energy comes from fossil fuels (in the EU 82% comes from fossil fuels, while in Malta it's 100% of course). The average person uses 2584 kwh however 77% of the world's energy is consumed by just 28% of the population. The European Union has long been trying to lower energy consumption and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, for two main reasons: 

1. Environmental Issues (such as global warming, health effects of pollution & the damage that pollution causes to ecosystems) 
2. Energy Dependency (most of the Union's fossil fuels are imported, resulting in a resource dependency). 

Regarding the Environmental concerns, most of the EU member states had signed the Kyoto protocol, back in 1997, and many (15) have actually carried out the necessary cuts and measures which they promised they would, with Latvia ranking on top, cutting emissions to 48% lower than the Kyoto target. As you can see in the first graph, many countries didn't quite make the cut. Of course Malta is down at the bottom of the list alongside Cyprus for not having actually signed the protocol! 

As for the dependency concern, Malta of course imports 100% of it's energy in the form of fossil fuels and is on the top of the list in the second chart, again alongside our friends Cyprus. 

The EU aims to solve the problem of emissions and dependency with a two-pronged approach: reducing consumption and investing in renewable energy sources. The general public seems to have certain reservations on renewable energy in their homes, mainly because a lot of the choices (such as Photovoltaic cells and Wind Turbines) are pretty expensive! But, there are practical and easy ways to reduce your energy consumption in the home and also use more renewable forms of energy.

In the coming blog posts we'll give some simple hints and tips as to how to lower your energy bill and help save the enviornment at the same time and also share some ideas and experiences with you. 

Check out the powerpoint presentation, prepared by members of 5elemento (www.5elemento.org), about the state of energy in the EU. 

Energy in the World

15 organisations and l-Ikel network against GM produce

The following is a Press Statement which Greenhouse endorsed as part of a joint letter campaign addressed to the Commissioner John Dalli over his approval of the GM potato Amflora to enter EU markets.

Health Commissioner Dalli, under the new Barroso Commission has recently (March 2nd, 2010) authorised the cultivation of a genetically modified (GM) crop in the EU for the first time since 1998. The European Commission has given the green light for the cultivation of GM potato Amflora, developed by the German chemical firm BASF, for processing into industrial starch. Only a day after this controversial decision (March 3rd, 2010), the European Commission also authorised the use of three GM maize products for food and feed, along with the growth of the Amflora GM potato for industrial use and feed.

The danger of these GMO's is that their altered genes may be incorporated in the genetic makeup of non-GMOs by mixing and there is no way of being sure that this does not happen. This mixing has been happening around the world and in fact about 6,000 rice producers have filed claims against Bayer since the US Department of Agriculture announced, back in August 2006, that trace amounts of genetically modified rice were found in the US long-grain rice stocks. Once GMOs start being cultivated there is no way of going back – it is very risky with astronomical adverse consequences.

One of these consequences is the possibility of the antibiotic resistant gene present in the Amflora potatoes entering our food chain. When we’re battling some of the most resistant pathogenic strains around, the last thing required is the threat of an antibiotic resistant gene to complicate matters. We implore you ask this question to yourself; ' Is the enhanced starch production that the Amflora potato is designed to produce worth risking the health and wellbeing of all the EU citizens?'

Evidently the majority of Europeans have asked themselves this same question because 70% of them are against the cultivation of these organisms, and many countries, including Malta, already stated that they are also against the cultivation of GMOs.

We only ask the European Commission to uphold democracy and to safeguard the interests of all European citizens and revoke the decision taken. The well-being of the people you represent should take precedence over the interest of chemical corporations.

An email action can be pursued by everyone who disagrees with the introduction GMO produce in Malta via the Friend of the Earth Malta Cyber Action link http://www.foemalta.org/home/index.php/no-to-gmos

This press release has been endorsed by the following networks and organisations:

Alternattiva Demokratika Zghazagh - Green Youth, Ager Foundation, Centre for Environmental Education and Research, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Food First Malta, Friends of the Earth, Moviment Graffiti, Greenhouse, Koperattiva Rurali Manikata, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Nature Trust Malta, Permaculture Research Foundation, Slow Food Malta, Youth Alive Foundation, Zminijietna – Voice of the Left and Kieku L-ikel Jitkellem Network.