Burnt coffee and wasted power

I’m guessing anyone who’s worked in an office setting knows about burnt coffee: the tar-like stuff that tasted great when it was brewed hours ago.

Not only does burnt coffee taste terrible – it’s a symptom of wasted power too. Coffee makers use a lot of electricity – household ones use about 600-700 watts, but some commercial types use over 1000 watts, or as much as about 75 compact fluorescent light bulbs. And they keep using power as long as the switch is left on.

The solution? One: why not plan to make just the amount of coffee needed, and encourage everyone to enjoy it while it’s fresh; and Two, just turn the pot off as soon as it’s done brewing. Plus – consider swapping that energy-hungry commercial coffee maker (especially the instant-brew ones) for a more efficient one.

For great coffee and great power saving, it’s as simple as that!

In the news

Wilkins adrift: the narrow ice bridge holding the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctica shattered into thousands of icebergs on April 4. The entire shelf, which is about 2.5 times the size of PEI, is now at risk of breaking away from the continent. http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE5326HO20090404

From carbon sink to carbon source: forests are normally among the best absorbers of carbon dioxide from the air, but thanks to milder winters caused by climate change, pine bark beetles are causing some forests in western Canada to die and become net emitters. http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/03/10/canada’s-carbon-sink-has-sprung-a-leak/