There is considerable opposition to PG&E’s roll out of smart meters, with many calling for a moratorium on the program until better information is available and concerns are addressed. I would support a moratorium, and considerably better communication, followed by improvements to the technology where possible. Unfortunately, this controversy has become polarized to the point where some citizens believe smart meters are of no public value

An electromagnetic field exists any time electrons are in motion. If those electrons move back and forth in a regular manner (i.e. oscillate) they create electromagnetic waves that propagate through space at the speed of light (which isn’t surprising, since light is an electromagnetic wave.) Man didn’t invent electromagnetic radiation. It pours out of every star - - not just as visible light, but in a very wide range from radio frequencies (thus radio astronomy) and all the way up beyond visible light to X-rays and gamma rays.

In practice there are not many things you can do to reduce the amount of energy you consume without seriously changing the quality of your lifestyle. But the following list of simple steps will save between 15% and 35% of the electricity bill for an average family. Some of us are prepared to significantly alter our lifestyle to save energy, but I think this is missing the point.

The fluorescent lighting industry has seen many changes over the last few years. CFL fluorescent technology has improved ten fold. The biggest improvements have been realized in candelabra bulbs, spiral bulbs, globe bulbs, and reflector bulbs. All CFL bulb prices are falling rapidly as competition increases.

Fluorescent lamps work on a very different principle than the incandescent light bulb invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. In the incandescent bulb, electricity heats a filament typically made of tungsten, an element that is resistant to the passage of electricity. The resistance results in high temperature, causing the filament to glow and emit light.