Chinese Agree to Nix Incandescents
China agreed to nix incandescent light bulbs during the next 10 years as part of a program backed by the Global Environmental Facility.
The organization unveiled China’s participation at the Reuters Environmental Summit. A formal announcement is expected in December.
China is the first developing nation to join the program but others countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America also could agree to trade incandescent lights for compact fluorescent lamps that cost more but use up to 80 percent less energy. Australia has decided to eliminate incandescent lights by 2010.
The program also is being discussed in the U.S., according to Monique Barbut, chief executive officer of the Global Environment Facility. She told Reuters, however, that China is ahead of the U.S. in this respect.
A survey suggests that environmental concerns weigh heavily in the minds of the Chinese compared to their American counterparts. Sixty-seven percent of Chinese consumers in a TANDBERG-Ipsos MORI survey said they would rather buy products from companies with strong environmental records, compared to 42 percent of Americans and 52 percent of Australians.
A high percentage of Canadians, Australians and Chinese said they were taking personal steps to reduce their carbon footprints. Americans landed in seventh place.
“The survey reflects that as the environment in China has increasingly degraded over the years the Chinese people are yearning for improved living conditions,” James McGregor, longtime China observer and author of “One Billion Customers,” said in a statement.
The organization unveiled China’s participation at the Reuters Environmental Summit. A formal announcement is expected in December.
China is the first developing nation to join the program but others countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America also could agree to trade incandescent lights for compact fluorescent lamps that cost more but use up to 80 percent less energy. Australia has decided to eliminate incandescent lights by 2010.
The program also is being discussed in the U.S., according to Monique Barbut, chief executive officer of the Global Environment Facility. She told Reuters, however, that China is ahead of the U.S. in this respect.
A survey suggests that environmental concerns weigh heavily in the minds of the Chinese compared to their American counterparts. Sixty-seven percent of Chinese consumers in a TANDBERG-Ipsos MORI survey said they would rather buy products from companies with strong environmental records, compared to 42 percent of Americans and 52 percent of Australians.
A high percentage of Canadians, Australians and Chinese said they were taking personal steps to reduce their carbon footprints. Americans landed in seventh place.
“The survey reflects that as the environment in China has increasingly degraded over the years the Chinese people are yearning for improved living conditions,” James McGregor, longtime China observer and author of “One Billion Customers,” said in a statement.
 | THE U.S. CONSUMES A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF ENERGY EVERY MINUTE. HERE’S A BRIGHT IDEA - REPLACING JUST ONE INCANDESCENT LIGHTBULB WITH A COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMP WOULD SAVE THIS 500-POUND PILE OF COAL & OVER 1/2 TONNE OF CO2 EMISSIONS. (Source National Geographic) |
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