Saving energy is flawed

[Tefal]

This is half true. Or retrospectively true.

In future the power source on stand by could just as easily be hydroelectric or nuclear, although I realise these methods have there own problems.

no it couldn't, hydro is already being used, in peak times. And nuclear is only able to produce base load, it can't ramp up quickly to replace the drop from wind.

For wind to be able to operate without a back up plant, we would need huge farms all across Britain, and the electricity from them is still very expensive, compared to other sources.

So your buying from renewable sources saves nothing.

 

[zinc]

Not me - I have learnt enough at school and uni about the environment. To sceptics: is it not better be safe than sorry? If it turns out all the scientists are being too pessimistic, then by using less energy, all we have done is reduce pollution, improve the environment and prolonged availability of fossil fuels. But if the scientists are right, we might just prevent global warming and whetever else it induces. Win-win situation really. I also don't think you saving pennies every day on reducing energy consumption will readily lead to a buying a holiday (£9 a year according to the energy saving website); it would take decades, so that's a bit far fetched.

Depends what scientists you believe, some say global warming is due to humans and will get worse while other scientists say its a natural occurring cycle the earth goes through every few centurys and that the increase in co2 has not caused the increase in temperture, some also state that live stock and mother nature produce more Co2 than humans anyway. My dad said that when he was a kid the media was going on about the world was going to freeze over, havnt seen this happen..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling