Thread Number: 22244
European Union Bans Inefficient Washing Machines |
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Post# 348368   5/12/2009 at 14:02 (5,455 days old) by peterh770 (Marietta, GA)   |   | |
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BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union (EU) has banned the most inefficient washing machines in a plan to save the equivalent of two power plants worth of electricity and cut 3.8 million tons in carbon-dioxide emissions annually by 2020. CLICK HERE TO GO TO peterh770's LINK |
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Post# 348371 , Reply# 1   5/12/2009 at 14:10 (5,455 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
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the fact that our clean water reserves are shrinking and the energy needed for de-salinization and sewage treatment far exceeds our current capacity, this is a good thing. Really, truly - where on earth did the idea come to be that wasting resources to achieve a goal was better than marshaling our resources to achieve maximum efficiency? Once upon a time we had a motto: Use it up, wear it out, fix it or do without. After several decades of pretending we are all just going to jump in our rocket ships and leave the garbage dump we are turning this planet into, maybe the time has come to drop the nonsense that waste=wealth. Of course, it is no accident that the EU decisions come about after we developed activators which make genuine cleaning and true hygiene possible in 40°C or colder water... |
Post# 348389 , Reply# 2   5/12/2009 at 15:06 (5,455 days old) by askomiele (Belgium Ghent)   |   | |
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I have no idea what kind of washers they banned by this? Are there inefficient washers in Europe for home use? Toploaders are only sold to commercial laundry places, but also there it's not common anymore, only UK and Ireland had TL's in there productrange... |
Post# 348394 , Reply# 3   5/12/2009 at 15:43 (5,455 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
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Askomiele. There are machines which get "D" or lower ratings on the market and some which are so abominably bad, we don't see them here in Central Europe, at all. The EU now embraces (foolishly) not only the developed West and Center, we also have an enormous number of truly poor countries with populations just now beginning to escape from the slough of communist oppression. They will be buying/replacing their old machines with these higher efficiency ones, instead of being two or three generations behind us, as has been the case up until know. That's my take on it, anyway. I doubt you'll see much significant improvement in TOL products, more across the broad middle range. It also, of course, serves to limit the Chinese market somewhat as the steps needed to improve efficiency all require a degree of technology and quality assurance which the Chinese are not (yet) prepared to invest. Not, of course, that our dearly beloved un-democratic leaders in Belgium would ever dream of such un-capitalistic policies. |
Post# 348406 , Reply# 4   5/12/2009 at 16:54 (5,455 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)   |   | |
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Panthera, Be carefull with that statement. It may have been the case in the not too distant past, but the Chinese are not slow on the uptake of new technology and have a very rapidly growing middle class who what quality and reliability. ...and as for efficiency, all BOL and MOL Whirlpool front load machines that are sold here are made in China. Haier are a Chinese brand that introduced the first machine on the Australian market that used less than 40litres to do 6kg..(ok, it didn't rinse well...but they are trying) Both Bosch and Electrolux have a plant in Thailand ....and here is a shock for many of you. We have a base model Miele cleaner sold here that is made in China (from mostly German parts)... You will underestimate the ability of China, India et.al at the peril of your own industry.... |
Post# 348419 , Reply# 6   5/12/2009 at 17:49 (5,455 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
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You're absolutely right, of course. That's why I said "not yet". I have a fair number of foreign students in my courses (teach at a technical university) and the Chinese are anything but slow and unimaginative. Up until now, tho', they've pretty much focused on the lower range markets here in Europe, partly because the Italians do outstanding design even in cheaper products and the Eastern Europeans do cheap and slightly better than the Chinese. But, yup - unless we get our acts together, it's all over soon. |
Post# 348532 , Reply# 7   5/12/2009 at 23:52 (5,454 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Germany and France come to mind, but many of the Western EU nations are in the same boat in that they face increasing demand for electrical power, despite in most places a falling population. Simply put limited petrol supplies (mainly in the UK and northern EU), and coal (of which there is tons of in Europe and the UK) pretty much off the table, that only leaves nukes which is an explosive issue. Natural gas comes mainly from Russia, who has NOT been playing nice lately and using it's supply often to hold EU nations by their short and curlies. For all the above and other reasons something has to start somewhere, and it seems appliances are the beginning. It does not help that European countries are for the most part centuries older than the United States, and thus had more time to ravage the eco-system and damage things such as water tables. As the generations born before, during and years after the war die off, so will many of their old ways. Today's young Europeans want every mod-con offered. This means fully fitted kitchens with dishwashers, microwaves,washing machines, tumble dryers, hot water heaters and the like. When one adds in one (or more) television sets, computers, DVD/CD players and the lot of what is considered must haves today, we are talking about a considerable increase in electrical demand by the average EU household. |
Post# 348634 , Reply# 8   5/13/2009 at 13:09 (5,454 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Post# 349304 , Reply# 15   5/16/2009 at 00:35 (5,451 days old) by electron1100 (England)   |   | |
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The GREAT GREEN RELIGION................divides all, like every other religion...........the only winners are the utility companies and governments............the poor public are bombarded with guilt and spin to control them........this is fastest growing most damaging industry ................the perpetuators of this all should be shot I for one am not drawn into any of this, it is a disgrace………. |
Post# 349347 , Reply# 16   5/16/2009 at 09:23 (5,451 days old) by shanonabc ()   |   | |
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/ / / / Totally agree with the above. |