Eu To Ban High-Energy Hair Dryers, Smartphones And Kettles

[naomi24]

A good idea - or a drop in the ocean?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/11061538/EU-to-ban-high-energy-hair-dryers-smartphones-and-kettles.html

[jim360]

Well it would certainly be more consistent, anyway. Not sure that it will have much of an impact on energy usage worldwide, but

[jim360]

...but still worth trying to reduce it a little.

[naomi24]

More consistent than what?

[jim360]

Sorry -- More consistent than just sticking to vacuum cleaners and kettles. May as well cut high-energy appliances across the board, rather than just one or two.

[dave50]

Just leave people to buy what the hell they want would be the best idea. If I want to waste energy and money it's up to me and nobody else.

[naomi24]

It seems rather pointless to me – bearing in mind the majority of the rest of the world will carry on regardless. As the hairdresser in the report says, it will just take longer to dry hair, so where’s the saving?

[jim360]

Not really studied the differences in more detail but I think that the "taking longer to dry hair" wont necessarily balance out the energy costs of high-energy dryers and low-energy ones. Hair can be dried quite well by just using a fan with a relatively modest heat, and fans use much less energy than heating elements so there could be some saving -- if I remember I will try to check the numbers to back this up.

Because this is an EU-wide proposal it could have an impact that while small is still noticeable. Roughly speaking the EU's energy use is comparable to the US and China (though still smaller, I think), meaning that reducing energy use across the EU will make some difference to global energy consumption.

In the long run it might make no difference after all, but I think it's worth a try. Even if it doesn't benefit the climate, which is what I'd be most concerned about, policies like this could reduce our personal energy bills (until the prices go up ridiculously high, anyway).

[youngmafbog]

What a load of nonsense.

A low wattage kettle will take as much energy to raise the temperature of a given volume of liquid as a high powered one, you just have to wait longer.

And as for the hair dryers jim you are clearly not a hippy or a woman!!

More useless meddling from the EU, yet another reason to get out.

It wont reduce much, most countries will take no notice only this pathetic one.

[naomi24]

YMB, I agree - and I suspect that any reduction in bills will be negligible.

[Boto]

Nanny EU.

[kvalidir]

I think the majority of people will just resort to buying them online form non EU sources, it won't make a ha'ppence of difference to anything, it will just be inconvenient and give the anti EU posse something to stoke their fires. We should have more important things to worry about at the moment .

[agchristie]

Was the report meant to say 'daft study' or 'draft'?

The hair dryer being a good case in point because if it is shown that it is taking longer to dry, salons face delays, sickness/injuries to staff.

I hate the energy efficient bulbs, getting ready in the winter months and having flicked the switch you have to wait to see what you are doing whilst you wait for the glow to kick in!

Who here, after grotesque energy increases, is going to trust that their bills will be reduced?

If we compromise performance and practicality through pernickety EU rules then society will get even more hacked off especially if in a rush to dry their hair for work!!!

[Old_Geezer]

Is it April 1st already ?

[Old_Geezer]

Mind you they were moronic enough to prevent people using incandescent light bulbs so it may just be true. All the more reason to get UKIP into government in Westminster for one time.

[youngmafbog]

agc, try LED's. I have 6 GU10's in the utility room, on dimmers. LEDS consume 10% of the Halogen so a 50W is 5W. These come on pretty instantly (dimmers have a slow start but it is very quick) If you dont have the dimmer they are instant.

Costlier, but their life is far superior. The price is coming down but do avoid cheaper ones that are not CE marked.

[agchristie]

Thanks YMB - I have LED's in kitchen/bathroom but I don't get dressed in either of those rooms ;-)

Seriously, I think this study is one up from the curved banana!!

[jim360]

It might take the same amount of energy to heat the same amount of water in theory but in practice kettles also heat up the environment so it's entirely possible to make a more efficient kettle; and if everyone used one it would be no bad thing. The same is true potentially with every other appliance. You need to check the numbers to know how much of a saving we're talking about of course. And whilst we might be used to things going quickly these days I'm sure people would be able to cope with hair taking five minutes to dry rather than three in the future (time periods dependent on hair length).

I'm also amazed at ymb's attitude that essentially amounts to criticising the UK for being a law-abiding country and praises other countries for ignoring European law. In any other context it would be the other way round...

[naomi24]

// if everyone used one it would be no bad thing.//

But everyone won't - and I agree with ymb - we do seem to be just about the only country that is stupid enough to take the ridiculous regulations and restrictions the EU dishes out seriously.

[gness]

'Scuse me, Naomi...

Jim!! You may be almost bald....I'm not! ☺

Twenty minutes every morning to dry my hair is long enough......how on earth is making me take perhaps twice as long going to do any good? Except that the steam coming out of my ears would shorten the process a bit.

Now I have to stock up on high energy hair dryers to go in the cupboard with the 200 light bulbs...... ;-)

[naomi24]

gness, //Except that the steam coming out of my ears would shorten the process a bit. //

Would that add to global warming, do you think? ;o)