I can’t make this crap up. It’s true.
Energy-guzzling flatscreen plasma televisions will soon be banned as part of the battle against climate change, ministers have told The Independent on Sunday.
“Minimum energy performance standards” for televisions are expected to be agreed across Europe this spring, they say, and this should lead to “phasing out the most inefficient TVs”. At the same time, a compulsory labelling system will be drawn up to identify the best and worst devices.
The moves, which follow last week’s withdrawal of the 100W incandescent lightbulb, are part of a drive to slow the rapid growth of electricity consumption in homes by phasing out wasteful devices and introducing more efficient ones. Giant plasma televisions – dubbed “the 4x4s of the living room” – can consume four times as much energy as traditional TVs that used cathode ray tubes (CRTs).
Over the past 30 years, the number of electric appliances and gadgets in a typical home has almost trebled – from 17 to 47 – as a host of devices from scanners to security systems, cappuccino makers to computer game consoles have joined the more traditional kettles, irons, vacuum cleaners and cookers. And the number of televisions in homes has also grown rapidly; there are now 60 million of them, one for every person in the country.
The amount of power needed to run this electronic explosion has more than doubled in the same period, and the official Energy Savings Trust estimates that it will grow by another 12 per cent over the next four years.
Pay attention to this. We can’t smoke anymore. Cars are being fitted with alcohol sensors. States want to install GPS to see how far we’ve driven. CCTV cameras are everywhere. Regular light bulbs will be phased out. Most of these measures are designed to get us to use less electricity which, when we do, the “state” will realize tax revenues are lower so they raise taxes on us anyway to make up the shortfall.
Behavioral modification by fiat with no appreciable savings in the pocketbook but a decrease in choice and life satisfaction.
If that’s not socialism by tyranny I do not know what is.
We are screwed.
Buy more bullets.
