SolarPlexus

A letter in The Engineer recently…

“What is the point in the UK making any type of advances with regard to carbon dioxide emissions when the likes of China, India and Russia are increasing theirs?”
Jim Bridgman

We do tend to see this argument crop up a lot don’t we? Often drawing comparisons between nations, but also between activities. For example, “why pick on reducing vehicle emissions when global heavy industrial emissions are so huge?” etc. etc.

To me the answer is as simple: My garden may be smaller than the chap next door, but I don’t crap in it just because he does. There’d be two of us with faecal landscaping if I did that, not just one.

I’ve just visited my local Dollond & Aitchinson for an eyetest. I’d cycled there so was a bit warm but upon entering the shop the warm fog that met me wasn’t explained by my exertion.

Initially I thought the silly woofters had got the heating on. Yes, we’re having a crap July but it’s not cold. When I was asked to be seat myself in the middle of the shop I spied the culprit: a portable air-conditioner with it’s vent-trunk just lying across the floor!

I quipped that it was stuffy in the shop, but nice and cool in the square meter in front of the aircon. I was met with a puzzled stare - until I elaborated that they were chucking warm air back into the shop. At this point I decided not to explain that by using an electrical device to shift cool air from warm air they were making the air warmer because of the energy expended by the unit itself - that was an gcse physics lesson too far.

Their solution? Open the front door.
“…but it’s a noisy road out there!”, complained the receptionist as this was done.

Oh, for the love of Pete. We can get as many cars as we like off the roads, but if we don’t legislate against global aircon misuse (or just use?) then we may as well fart against thunder. I’m not dead against these devices - but I wish they’d be used sparingly and at minimum levels. What’s the point in getting the compartment temperature lower than you’d find comfortable in winter?!

The reverse should be applied to patio heaters…