ECOLOGY

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40% OF HOME ELECTRONICS POWER USE OCCURS WHEN DEVICES ARE OFF

LARRY MAGID, NY TIMES - I started checking how much electricity my
electronics were consuming when I wasn't using them. I used a Kill A
Watt EZ energy meter (available online for about $25) and began
measuring. My PC was continuously drawing 134 watts all night.

The more devices I checked, the worse it got. My TiVo digital video
recorder was sucking down about 30 watts when it was not playing or
recording a show. A Comcast digital cable set-top box made by Motorola
that I tested was drawing about 40 watts. My DVD player was drawing 26
watts while idle, and my audio system - which I rarely turned off - was
using 47 watts. This was in addition to the numerous power adapters and
chargers, each drawing 1 or 2 watts, not to mention several other
devices sipping energy to keep clocks running or to be ready to turn on
at the push of a button. . .

Indeed, the Department of Energy estimates that in the average home, 40
percent of all electricity used to power home electronics is consumed
while the products are turned off. Add that all up, and it equals the
annual output of 17 power plants, the government says. In an effort to
address that, a consortium of Intel, Google, PC makers and other
technology companies this week announced their intent to increase the
PC's overall energy efficiency to 90 percent. . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/technology/14basics.html?ei=5090&en=
09f3f4ee316d0508&ex=1339473600&adxnnl=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=
rss&adxnnlx=1181793703-YrjLHbtbpXjVf3BJmkAZKw


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ANIMALS THRIVE DESPITE SUDAN CONFLICT

TREE HUGGER - Imagine the Wildlife Conservation Society's surprise when
its aerial surveys confirmed the existence of more than 1.2 million
white-eared kob, tiang antelope, and Mongalla gazelle grazing along the
plains of Southern Sudan, where wildlife was thought to have been
decimated by the decades-long conflict. In fact, some species of
wildlife - some thought to have gone extinct - have not only survived in
spite of the war, but they're also thriving east of the Nile River in
"numbers that rival those of the Serengeti," according to the New
York-based non-profit. "I have never seen wildlife like that, in such
numbers, not even when flying over the mass migrations of the
Serengeti," said [conservationist J Michael] Fay in a press release.
"This could represent the biggest migration of large mammals on earth."

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/southern_sudan_herds.php

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RICHARDSON CALLS FOR SECRETARY OF WATER

TIMES NEWS - If elected, New Mexico Governor and Democratic presidential
candidate Bill Richardson would create a new Cabinet post specifically
to address water issues - and task it with the development of a national
water policy. . . The creation of a new Cabinet post and the naming of a
Secretary of Water would give the issue the attention it deserves, he
said. The "bureaucratic elevation" would force people to address water
concerns throughout the nation, not just the drought-plagued West. . .
"Everybody thinks water is only a western issue, but it's not," said
Richardson.

Richardson would direct the water secretary to build consensus among all
50 states, allow states to sell water to other states, perform a full
assessment of the country's water realities, and promote strong
conservation measures - all under federal leadership. Richardson
acknowledged the old adage, "Whiskey's for drinking, water is for
fighting" still exists, but fatal dissent could be avoided if all
stakeholders are involved in the process.

http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/06/14/news/local_state/114204.txt


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