The European Union is imposing a ban on conventional light bulbs, replacing them with energy-saving bulbs. That ban would fully be in effect within two years, forcing all 490 million citizens of the EU’s member states to switch from the current conventional lights they now have.

However, some problems of this plan have been raised considering that the supposed energy-efficient light bulbs have to be left on all the time, they’re made from banned toxins and they won’t work in half your household fittings. Yet Europe (and Gordon Brown) says ‘green’ lightbulbs must replace all our old ones. They also are up to 20 times more expensive than conventional light bulbs. They also give off a much harsher light and do not produce a steady stream of light but rather just flicker 50 times a second.

These special ‘efficient’ light bulbs also need more ventilation than conventional bulbs, which means that they cannot be in an enclosed light fitting. I’m sure that this won’t inconvenience any of the 490 million who are being forced to switch. In Canada, talk is taking place of having a ban on conventional light bulbs being included in Ross Tawdrey’s clean air act. This discussion was recently brought about by the act of Australia taking moves to ban conventional light bulbs by the year 2010.

As well as that, a lawmaker in California has introduced a bill to ban the selling of conventional bulbs by 2012, with a similar bill also being introduced in New Jersey. Royal Phillips Electronics, one of the leading corporations in producing light fixtures announced that they would stop selling conventional bulbs by 2016. This will result in a massive cost to the consumer, who is losing their free will in where they spend their money and how they choose to help the environment.

Hoping to get by without buying new bulbs and sneak it by the government? Good luck. As a recent report pointed out in the UK, the government has very intrusive plans to make the UK the world’s first green economy. Part of this plan is that every home in the UK is to be ‘carbon neutral’ within 10 years, making every house updated to ‘green’ standards. The government said they would provide the renovators, which has led many to fear that it is a method of spying on homeowners to make sure they go green.

John Sinclair, a member of the Taxpayer’s Alliance and critic of the plan stated, It’s bad enough that politicians want to take so much of our money away in tax. For them also to intrude into our homes in order to have the ability to penalise us even further is simply unacceptable.

I am not saying that it isn’t a good idea to take action to help the environment, but I ask you to consider this: if the majority of scientific data points to the fact that global warming is caused by the Sun, then how will a tax on carbon emissions help to stop it? How does us driving cars cause climate change on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Neptune and Triton?

Can Al Gore please fill me in on this? If CO2 increases as a RESULT of temperature increases, then how can we hope to accomplish anything by taxing emissions? That’s like saying we will prevent the process of humans ageing by dying their grey hairs. It’s not grey hair that causes people to age; it’s ageing that causes grey hair. And nothing that you do to your hair will have any affect on how long you live. Especially since ageing is a natural process that cannot be stopped and has always occurred and will always occur. Just like climate change.

It seems worrisome that politicians are all too eager to grab onto this man-made myth of global warming in order to make us afraid and guilty. Guilty enough to want to change it, and afraid enough to give up our freedoms and undergo massive financial expenses in order to do so. So this lie, being pushed by big money and big governments, is a convenient lie for those who want to exert control and collect money. However, it’s inconvenient for the mass amount of people who are already experiencing the problems of a widening wage-gap and fading middle class.

If the problems we are being presented are based on lies, then how do we expect to find any true solution to helping the environment? A Global Tax won’t clean up the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez, which is still polluting waters in Alaska nearly 18 years after the spill occurred. A Global Tax won’t stop Shell from making the Niger Delta the most endangered Delta in the whole world. No, we have to first be realistic, mature, and have debate about the problems we are facing, and then, and only then, can we even hope to achieve any sort of solution.

EnviroMission Limited (www.enviromission.com.au) produced this 5 minute video on the pilot plant in Spain. It is an older video (2000) but gives a decent understanding of the solar tower concept. EnviroMission, Ltd. (US Market: EVOMY, Australian Exchange: EVM) is a renewable energy developer of sustainable “green” energy solutions for the energy market. EnviroMission aims to be one of Australia’s leading producers of clean renewable energy. EnviroMission holds the proprietary rights to Solar Tower technology, a large-scale renewable energy technology based on simple fundamentals of physics — hot air rises. Solar Tower technology has the potential to offer competitive renewable energy with equal reliability to fossil fuel generators. A single 200MW Solar Tower power station will provide enough electricity to power around 400000 households. The energy output will represent an annual saving of more than 1960000 tonnes of greenhouse CO2 gases from entering the environment when compared to brown coal emissions in Victoria. The greenhouse savings equate to the removal of approximately 500000 cars from the road. The Australian Solar Tower project consists of six distinct phases, the first two of which (project optimization and pre-feasibility commercialization) have already been completed. The third phase (final feasibility), paving the way for the implementation of the next three phases (final design, construction, and commercial operation). Video Rating: 4 / 5

In the United States allowed same-sex second parent adoption in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington and Washington DC The other 38 states whose laws the adoption of same-sex partnerships are ambiguous. Homosexuality is a serious social problem with trade unions and civil marriages of same sex couples become legal situation in many countries. There can be only a matter of time before all these issues same-sex couples will be eliminated.

If you want to get information about gay Romania too, you can visit our website.

How to stay ahead and address the early action requirements for Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management to be included in updates to AB 32.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), first passed in 2006 with additional early actions taking effect in 2010, is a broad and comprehensive directive with the goal of reducing greenhouse gasses (GHGs) by approximately 25% by the year 2020. This objective of the early action stems from increases in carbon equivalent emissions in California since 1990. The intent of the legislation to reduce greenhouse gasses to their 1990 levels, thereby reversing 16 years of pollution in less than 14 years.

As part of the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) the Air Resources Board (ARB) has approved an early action measure to reduce high-global warming potential (GWP) greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions by establishing new legislation and defining requirements related to improved monitoring of AC/HVAC systems, enforcement of regulations, reporting of refrigerant usage, and recovery, recycling, or destruction of high-GWP refrigerant gases.

The greenhouse gasses (GHGs) as defined by the California’s AB 32 are identical to those gasses identified in the Kyoto Protocol. These gases are already being regulated, monitored, and managed by many other countries around the World. In addition to carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most widely known GHG, the following gasses are also defined as GHGs with high global warming potential (GWP) carbon equivalent emissions by the AB 32 legislation:

* Methane (CH4): a byproduct of waste decomposition, and natural geological phenomena; the majority of methane is derived from natural gas drilling.

* Nitrous Oxide (N2O): a pollutant created by industrial processes, motor vehicle exhaust, and industrial air pollutants reacting with the atmosphere; like methane, nitrous oxide can also be a product of waste decomposition in nature and agriculture.

* Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6): a gas used for various electrical applications, including gas insulated switchgear. Sulfur Hexafluoride is also used for experimental applications.

* Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs): a collection of commonly used refrigerant and aerosol gasses with a wide variety of other commercial applications. CFCs and HCFCs are considered Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs), as defined in title VI of the US Clean Air Act (Section 608).

The California EPA’s Air Resources Board (CARB) has developed a complex and highly detailed system of greenhouse gas management for refrigerant gasses, known as the Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program, and stricter standards for new or existing refrigeration systems installation and ongoing maintenance. According to CARB this strategy includes careful monitoring of potential refrigerant gas leaks, improved record keeping and certification of personnel as well as specifications for PFC and HCFC recovery equipment.

The proposed Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program, which integrates two AB 32 early action measures, addresses the detailed monitoring and management of the PFCs and HCFCs noted above and includes tracking requirements for new and existing commercial and industrial refrigeration systems. Likely to be implemented by January, 2010, is the monitoring and management of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in large systems in the range of 2,000 pounds of refrigerant gas.

CARB is charged with the monitoring GHGs and high GWP gasses, as well and the eventual development and enforcement of specific and quantitative new regulations covering carbon related emissions which refrigerant management with the tracking, reporting, cylinder management, and gas recovery for stationary refrigerant and air conditioning (AC) systems all becoming key integral parts.

The CARB proposal could also involve fines for mismanagement of refrigerant record keeping, intentional venting of systems, and the inability to regularly submit the required refrigerant usage reports. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is an extension of the EPA and works to monitor and enforce the US Clean Air Act. Section 608 of the Air Act regulates refrigerant gas usage, leaks, recovery, and annual reporting.

The overall intent of CARB’s strategy is to monitor and reduce the introduction of man-made GHGs and high GWP gasses into the atmosphere, as called for in the California Global Warming Solutions ACT (AB 32) in effect since 2006 with tighter controls, monitoring, and overall regulations becoming enforceable by early 2010.

Refrigerant gas monitoring, tracking, and management are important business planning considerations. Just like organizations manage assets, like a delivery truck, the consequences the release of high GWP gases, such as refrigerant gases, must be consider. Refrigerants cost money, harm the ozone and environment, and are subject to mandatory carbon emissions reporting. As organizations with AC/HVAC systems containing refrigerant gas of 50 pounds or more will soon find out, the effective monitoring, management of data, and systematic reporting of refrigerant usage will be key to business success in our emerging carbon economy.

“It’s not my problem ! ” How many times have you heard individuals give that excuse for issues that concern the world? Well – Pollution is Everyone’s Problem. And Pollution is Everyone’s Responsibility to Clean Up the Mess ! I wait for trains and buses all the time and watch slobs who can’t walk 3 feet and put their half filled ‘big gulp’ in the expensively placed trash receptacles; rather than just leaving trash everywhere as it the whole world is a “Garbage Can.” When did their mother’s stop changing their diapers? Video Rating: 0 / 5

The problem with the true believer is that an issue becomes black and white. There is no room for discussion. The true believer is right and if you do not agree with him/her, you are dead wrong. The fact is the true believer is not satisfied just with the knowledge that they are right. They need you to acknowledge that they are right as well. They need to convert you. There can be no dissension. There can be no discourse. Facts do not really matter if they do not fit into the true believer’s argument.

In extreme and violent terms we have seen this behavior manifest itself throughout history. The Crusades and the misguided horrors of Nazi Germany in the Second World War are examples. Today the violent true believer mentality can be seen in the extreme elements of Islam.The true believer mentality also exists in less dramatic and more subtle ways throughout our society. It can be seen in ethnic, racial or gender discrimination. It can be seen in religious intolerance. Unfortunately, it was also be seen in the United Nations sponsored climate change event in Bali in December 2007.

The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) panel’s chairman, Rajendra Pachauri, said: Climate change imperils “the most precious treasures of our planet,” and the effects are “so severe and so sweeping that only urgent global action will do.

In fact, the United Nations reports that global warming is “unequivocal”. It estimates that as early as the year 2020 between 75 and 250 million people in Africa will suffer water shortages. It goes on to state that residents of Asia’s largest cities will be at great risk of river and coastal flooding. Europeans can expect extensive species loss. North Americans will experience longer and hotter heat waves and greater competition for water.

The world’s scientists have spoken clearly and with one voice,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “I expect the world’s policy makers to do the same.”

According to the United Nations true believers, global warming is “unequivocal” and the world scientists “have spoken clearly and with one voice”. There is no discussion. There is no dissent. All knowledgeable people now have been converted to this crusade. The reality, of course, is that global warming consensus is not the case in the scientific community.

Indeed for the Nobel winning United Nations panel (IPCC) and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore, fundamental problems with their global warming argument have already started to appear. As true believers in their global warming crusade, they will probably rationalize or ignore all facts that do not advance the cause. For the rest of us, as objective observers of the issue of global warming, the following facts should be carefully considered.

Global warming was supposed to cause frequent and violent hurricanes. The fact is that neither the intensity nor the frequency of hurricanes has increased. The 2007 season was the third quietest since 1966. In 2006 not a single hurricane made landfall in the U.S..

Since the mid 19th century, the mean global temperature has increased by 0.7 degrees Celsius. This slight warming is not unusual, and lies well within the range of natural variation. Carbon dioxide continues to increase in the atmosphere, but the mean planetary temperature hasn’t increased significantly now for the last nine years.

In fact , 2007 provides anecdotal evidence that the Earth is, in effect, cooling. Antarctica is getting colder. Snow fell for the first time in Buenos Aires since 1918. Australia had the coldest June in its history this year. It snowed in South Africa for the first time in 15 years. South America experienced one of its coldest winters in the last three decades.

The truth is that the entire southern hemisphere experienced bitter cold weather in 2007. In addition, the Canadian government has just warned that this winter is likely to be its coldest in at least 15 years. Already, this winter has been very cold in many other parts of the Northern Hemisphere as well.

We have heard about global warming causing the rapidly melting Arctic Ice Cap in the last several years. In fact, advocates of man made global warming point to the rapidly melting Arctic ice as a sign that global warming is occurring even faster than expected.

However, the facts as reported by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California last month indicate a quite different conclusion. The melting of the Arctic sea ice in this study has nothing to do with global warming. It was a natural phenomenon caused by unusual winds and atmospheric pressure.

The project studied trends in Arctic Sea Ice using satellite data , computer models and buoy observations of sea ice drift. The conclusion of the study was as follows: “The rapid decline in winter perennial ice the past two years was caused by unusual winds. Unusual atmospheric conditions set up wind patterns that compressed the sea ice, loaded it into the Transpolar Drift Stream, and then sped its flow out of the Arctic. When that sea ice reached lower latitudes, it rapidly melted in the warmer waters. The winds causing this trend in ice reduction were set up by an unusual pattern of atmospheric pressure that began at the beginning of this century”.

Global warming proponents have pointed out that records showed that 1998 was the hottest year on record in the United States. Several of the years surrounding 1998 were very warm and near the record as well. It certainly appeared that the climate was warming due to these historical records. However, it has just been discovered that the records were erroneous. A Canadian blogger named Steve McIntyre audited the NASA records and found errors. When he reported his findings to NASA scientists, they conducted a review that showed he was correct.

This led NASA to recently revise the data published on its website. The errors change the historical facts concerning the global warming argument. The hottest year in the United States is no longer 1998, but 1934. 2001 is no longer in the Top Ten. Instead, four of the top ten hottest years are in the 1930s.

Global warming is an issue that needs to be looked at objectively. It is an issue for rational discourse concerning science and facts. However, it has become a crusade for environmental true believers. Despite the United Nations rhetoric, scientists do not speak with “one voice” and man-made global warming is not “unequivocal”.

The danger in blindly following the United Nations global warming crusaders is that we become far removed from the facts of the issue. Indeed, these same United Nations true believers could one day be wearing winter coats in tropical Bali asking Gaia, (the goddess of nature), for increased global warming. Such perversity happens when an issue becomes a crusade.

Volcano eruptions a sign of global warming? – Part 1 Video Rating: 3 / 5

If humans had already colonized Jupiter, Neptune and Mars, it would certainly be all our fault. In fact, the United Nations Planetary Climate Change Council would be receiving the Nobel Peace Prize right about now. Their scientific statement would refer to Jupiter, Neptune and Mars as being in danger of man-made, irreversible, global climate change due to green house gas emissions.

It would be said that all scientists in every nation would be in agreement concerning a dubious future for each of these planets with humans as the cause. There would be no skeptics or doubters. Any dissenting opinion would be dismissed and ridiculed. Of course, there would still be time to save these planets from climate change holocaust, if humans would only change their behavior.

The problem for the proponents of man-made global warming is that planets, like Jupiter, Mars, and Neptune, do not have any known inhabitants. So, humans cannot be responsible for the global climate change occurring on each of these four planets today. Just think about that for a moment. Global warming and climate change occurring on planets in this solar system that cannot be connected to any man-made cause.

Of course, the warming of the Earth during the last century is absolutely man-made if you listen to many of the devoted disciples of global warming. However, isn’t it somewhat presumptuous to assume that humans have the power to control global climate change on Earth? Isn’t it is also presumptuous to assume that global climate change is not part of a long term planetary cycle and that even the sun does not play a major role? No, the true believers of man-made global warming are devoted to a cause. Their cause is to save the planet from a global warming holocaust in the next century brought on by the release of CO2 emissions caused by the reckless consumption of man.

While many planets in our solar system are warming without any human intervention, the Earth has been experiencing dramatic cooling. Last year, dramatic global cooling was measured by all four agencies that track the Earth’s temperature (the Hadley Climate Research Unit in Britain, the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, the Christy group at the University of Alabama, and Remote Sensing Systems Inc in California). It is now estimated that the Earth cooled by about 0.7C in 2007 which is the fastest temperature change on record. In addition, the global cooling trend has continued into the first five months of 2008.

Of course, faced with the current cooling trend, past climate predictions of global warming for our immediate future are suddenly at risk. In fact, as global temperatures fall, the 0.3°C global average temperature rise which had been the prediction for the next decade by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will soon have to be revised and explained. Already, some scientists are coming up with a possible reason to keep the true believers faithful to the cause. It is a sort of global warming interrupted rationalization because many researchers now expect a “lull” for up to a decade while natural variations in climate apparently cancel out the increases caused by man-made greenhouse gas emissions.

So, it now could be a much colder decade ahead even as the world continues to fight man- made global warming. Meanwhile, it will be increasingly difficult to explain to one billion starving people across the planet, that there is a global food shortage while nations grow corn to use as bio fuel to counter man-made global warming, even though the planet is in fact dramatically cooling.

However, a recent edition of Time Magazine has a recipe that may prove helpful to avoid world starvation while saving the environment at the same time. In another of their many stories on the environment and society, the magazine has a feature on eating insects. A video featured at Time.com actually shows people how to cook them.

Eating insects means the world would consume less meat. Eating less meat would result in less carbon emissions which would result in relief from man-made global warming. Time.com will show you how to cook beetles, grasshoppers, silkworms, and centipedes. Of course, eating the insects raw would use less energy and be even better for the environment.

If you want to listen to the proponents of man-made global warming, just forget the fact that other planets in the solar system are warming dramatically without any human inhabitants. Also, disregard the fact that the Earth is currently experiencing a dramatic cooling trend. So, fight to save the planet from global warming by ordering your new heavy winter coat and continue to advocate growing corn for use as bio fuel.

To the true believers of man made climate change, the next decade may be global warming interrupted but for the good of the planet people should be eating raw bugs anyway. The truth is that all of this man-made global warming hysteria continues to make very little common or economic sense to me.

A report of the effects of global warming on health published by WHO, has estimated around one million fifty thousand deaths every year due to global warming. Further it declared that each year five million people are suffering from health problems and diseases caused for this global warming. The rising concern over this matter has led many scientists and researchers to take a deeper look and prepare a plan to save human civilization from this onslaught.

Global warming has caused changes in temperature, ocean current flow, sea level, ecosystem, economy, agriculture, industry, settlements and related to all these – the health and living. Warmer world has created congenial atmosphere for the breeding and life expanse of various virus, bacteria and carriers of infectious diseases. Few evidences of global warming leaving negative effects on human health are -

- The vectors distribution of infectious diseases have been altered for global warming.

- Heat wave resulted for global warming are causing deaths.

- The seasonal distribution of few species of allergenic pollen have been altered for global warming.

- Various extreme conditions of global warming like droughts, heat and cold wave, storm, flood, fire will increase the death tolls as well as injuries and diseases.

- Malnutrition and disordered development of children are few long term results of global warming.

- Global warming will cause increase of malaria, diarrhea, cholera, dengue, encephalitis and other diseases.

- There will be constant rising rate of mortality due to ground level ozone related diseases as well as high cardio respiratory morbidity for global warming.

Thus global warming will affect human health in two major ways – with extreme weather condition and with rising infectious diseases. IPCC in a study of one of the most global warming affected area of Illionis, Chicago, has provided an apprehensive report that by 2020 extreme climate condition like heat wave will raise the climate average deaths to 400 and to 497 by 2050 from the present average of 191. European heat wave of 2003 is an example of its severity. Heat waves will even cause cardio respiratory complications resulting to high rate of deaths.

The results of ill health due to global warming and infectious diseases are already evident. Houston as well as many tropical countries are experiencing frequent outbreak of malaria, dengue and other encephalitis diseases. Even colder regions like Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Queens are severely suffering from malaria since 1990 as a result of global warming. McAllen of Texas also suffered a dengue epidemic in 1995. Florida, New Oreleans, Arizona, Mississippi, Texas, Colorado, and California – all are experiencing encephalitis epidemic for global warming since 1987. According to IPCC, 65% of world population will suffer from high risk of infectious diseases in near future. The risk itself will be increased by 20%, only as a result of global warming.

Facing such an impending calamity due to global warming, the requirement of proper planning and organized adaptation to new and changing condition has received a new dimension. Along with urgent and basic adaptation practices to fight the immediate effects, a longer planning and elaborate gradual methodology are also necessary to address the severity of future conditions resulted from global warming. A participatory approach to the holistic development of human health is expected to sober down the effects of global warming on health to some extent.

For a long time it has been believed that the effects of global warming on agriculture and food supply is going to be a positive one. This is because the rising level of carbon-dioxide resulted for global warming will help the greeneries for photosynthesis.

Thus there will be a rise of agricultural production and food supply. The theorem received a boost after the evidence of a sharp rise of barley production as one of the effects of global warming in Iceland which was quite impossible even few years ago.

But more recent experiments and researches have revealed that the effects of global warming on agriculture and food supply are not that good after all. AN UNEP 2001 report on the global warming has predicted that USA is going to have more droughts, floods, landslides and storms.

Winter will gradually be shortened and sobered down, while summer will rise in expansion and severity. Along with this heavy rain, big storm, heavy snowfall, high sea level, increasing coastal erosion and other problems will occur.

Though as one of the effects of global warming, the overall food supply and production level is supposed to rise in USA, but the Great Plains will suffer with more droughts resulting for global warming.

Even now many effects of global warming on agriculture and food supply have been perceived. The popular maple syrup production of North east USA has diminished by 10%, moving its production zone to farther north for shorter and warmer winter.

On the other hand as one of the effects of global warming the south west USA is suffering from a water shortage which will increase in coming days. The zone has become dry for any standard agricultural production with an apprehension of resettling Dust Bowl of 1930s’ by the year 2030 for global warming.

Following a report of IPCC on the global warming, California’s snow covered Sierra Mountains can reduce in near future by up to 60-90%. This will create dire water shortage in summer, making the Central Valley area unsuitable for agricultural production for global warming. The State University of Colorado has declared that the area is going to be less productive due to effects of global warming on agriculture and food supply.

As the effects of global warming, the food supply production in Florida is going to suffer a lot due to frequent and large scale floods. Also one of the most profitable agricultural products of USA – corn will suffer a bad condition due to dry and hot atmosphere for global warming.

As another example of the effects of global warming on agriculture and food supply – with the rise of temperature by 3 to 11 degrees in this century, the production rate of the main crops – the rice, corn, wheat, barley, soybeans and sorghum – will be cut down by 3-5% for each point rise of temperature for global warming.

However with all these effects of global warming on agriculture and food supply, new attempts have been made to adjust the agricultural and food production method according to the changing atmosphere. So to fight the effects of global warming, the researchers have established new methods of production with continuous revision of models. But still the best possible process to reduce the effects of global warming on agriculture and food supply is to be established.

Global warming could do more than just melt polar ice. It could change our maps, and displace people from cities and tropical islands. See all National Geographic videos: video.nationalgeographic.com