Among other things, I collect cookbooks, not just any cookbooks but those that deal with a particular culture or historical era. My most recent acquisition is "Eating With the Tudors". What I found most interesting was its discussion of the "sumptuary laws". Yes, even back then, there were laws governing what people could wear and what they could eat, supposedly to level the playing field, but in reality benefiting the rich. I look at all this "green" stuff as just another version of "sumptuary laws". By making people go out and buy all new stuff--which most of us can't afford--it showcases who is well off and who is not, just like the original "sumptuary laws" did back in Medieval/Renaissance times. I recall a conversation with one of these advocates who wants everyone to have solar panels on their roofs, EV's in their garage, and induction stoves in their kitchens, and I pointed out that that was putting an undue burden on poorer people. I think I may have opened her eyes--some. Just as the original "sumptuary laws" made it very clear who was rich and who was not, these new mandates are further dividing us to a degree way beyond what was going on back in Tudor days.
Actually sumptuary laws were to separate classes, wealth was the problem. The aristocracy seethed when low-born wealthy merchants could afford to dress better than them. Pretty soon, they thought, peasants won't be able to tell a wealthy merchant from a true nobleman, hence, sumptuary laws. But you have a point about costs. The solar panels, EVs, and induction stoves all require a substantial capital investment, and that's not the end, as these items reach the end of their life cycles they will need to be replaced. Here's the best one - a heat pump hot water heater. So while you're AC is pumping heat from inside to outside, the water heater is pumping heat from outside to your water heater inside. Just like a heat pump is useless when it's under 30 degrees outside, now your hot water heater will be useless too.
Ha! a heat pump running in suboptimal conditions will just keep running, but not do much heating. It's a function of thermodynamics. Using a natural gas hot water heater is the most efficient way to heat water (or air for that matter) when it gets below freezing outside.
Among other things, I collect cookbooks, not just any cookbooks but those that deal with a particular culture or historical era. My most recent acquisition is "Eating With the Tudors". What I found most interesting was its discussion of the "sumptuary laws". Yes, even back then, there were laws governing what people could wear and what they could eat, supposedly to level the playing field, but in reality benefiting the rich. I look at all this "green" stuff as just another version of "sumptuary laws". By making people go out and buy all new stuff--which most of us can't afford--it showcases who is well off and who is not, just like the original "sumptuary laws" did back in Medieval/Renaissance times. I recall a conversation with one of these advocates who wants everyone to have solar panels on their roofs, EV's in their garage, and induction stoves in their kitchens, and I pointed out that that was putting an undue burden on poorer people. I think I may have opened her eyes--some. Just as the original "sumptuary laws" made it very clear who was rich and who was not, these new mandates are further dividing us to a degree way beyond what was going on back in Tudor days.
Actually sumptuary laws were to separate classes, wealth was the problem. The aristocracy seethed when low-born wealthy merchants could afford to dress better than them. Pretty soon, they thought, peasants won't be able to tell a wealthy merchant from a true nobleman, hence, sumptuary laws. But you have a point about costs. The solar panels, EVs, and induction stoves all require a substantial capital investment, and that's not the end, as these items reach the end of their life cycles they will need to be replaced. Here's the best one - a heat pump hot water heater. So while you're AC is pumping heat from inside to outside, the water heater is pumping heat from outside to your water heater inside. Just like a heat pump is useless when it's under 30 degrees outside, now your hot water heater will be useless too.
"your hot water heater will be useless too."
Well, at least it won't cost much to run!
Ha! a heat pump running in suboptimal conditions will just keep running, but not do much heating. It's a function of thermodynamics. Using a natural gas hot water heater is the most efficient way to heat water (or air for that matter) when it gets below freezing outside.
*The First Law of Thermodynamics has entered the chat*
Now you know it's serious, now you know.