ABC News
Almost half of the televisions sold around the globe so far this year have been plasma or LCD TVs. But this boom could be coming at a huge environmental cost. The gas, widely used in the manufacture of flat screen TVs, is estimated to be 17,000 times as powerful as carbon dioxide. Ironically, NF3 is not covered by the Kyoto protocol as it was only produced in tiny amounts when the treaty was signed in 1997. Levels of this gas in the atmosphere have not been measured, but scientists say it is a concern and are calling for it to be included in any future emissions cutting agreement.
Professor Michael Prather from the University of California has highlighted the issue in an article for the magazine New Scientist. He has told ABC’s The World Today program that output of the gas needs to be measured. “One of my titles for this paper was Going Below Kyoto’s Radar. It’s the kind of gas that’s made in huge amounts,” he said. “Not only is it not in the Kyoto Treaty but you don’t even have to report it. That’s the part that worries me.” He estimates 4,000 tons of NF3 will be produced in 2008 and that number is likely to double next year.
“We don’t know what’s emitted, but what they’re producing every year dwarfs these giant coal-fired power plants that are like the biggest in the world,” he said. “And it dwarfs two of the Kyoto gases. So the real question we don’t know is how much is escaping and getting out.”
I’m still using my Sony Trinitron, so it’s you guys that are the problem….besides, my wife is too cheap to cough up the dough.
#29 – bobbo – Its amusing to see just how little information is required in order for otherwise intelligent people to form an opinion?
Yep, I’m lookin’ at you.
Hahaha
Bobbo is on to something.
#31 – Better solution than mine, because I think if we burned them, we’d release a lot of noxious gasses. 😉
#35 – pedro
If there was a way to convert your nonsense to energy, we could shut down all the coal plants.
Okay, greenhouse gasses, global warming, tree-hugging, bunny-loving and anti-triploid-genetically modified franken-fish aside…
Everyone here seems glad to point out that they don’t have an LCD or plasma television. Great, you’re not guilty as assumed.
Or are you. How many of you use LCD displays for your computer…or laptop…cell phone? Digital camera? Car stereo?
You’re all guilty as suspected.
Really, its as soundwash said in post #10…its ALL speculation.
#37 – Leave me out of it. The only reason I don’t have at least 1 60″ panel in every room including the bathrooms is that I can’t afford it.
The hippie retreads won’t be happy until we’re all living in caves eating nothing but our own poop.
Any chance cows are farting NF3?
What about Bug Zappers? Aren’t those thing making more Ozone than normal? Bet that ain’t in the Kyoto either. Well, could it truely be that for once the average joe isn’t responsible for f-ing up the world’s atmosphere? But this time it’s the upper class who can afford plasma screens? Along with their gas guzzling huge SUVs and minivans. Hey, don’t blame me. I’ve been waiting for the all electric car for 20 years now. And the automakers kept building the vehicles they claimed we all wanted, after they told us we wanted it. Until they finally got stuck with a bloated inventory of SUVs, they can’t sell, even with free gas incentives. And you can bet that they’re still holding out against the hope that gas will fall in price, before they’re forced to start selling electrics or hybrids.
I bought 2 large screen LCDs a while ago but I gave up farting to compensate for damage to the environment.
Jagermeister, you’re only off by a factor of 1000.
This isn’t 2.5 times as much it is .0025 times as much. However it is scheduled to double, so that makes it .5%.
So does this apply to flat screen computer monitors as well? Another reason why they should ban anything larger than a 14 inch screen.
Oops, I’m an electronics guy, not a chemist.
In counting the number of flat screens my wife and I have at home and at work, between TVs, computers and two jobs… then considering that we’re only two people… it’s a wonder we’re not all green and breathing through gills already.
Unless… this is the month’s bullshit environmental story. The first clue is comparing it to a natural gas and calling it “stronger”. C’mon…
#43, #44 – MikeN – …you’re only off by a factor of 1000.
This isn’t 2.5 times as much it is .0025 times as much. However it is scheduled to double, so that makes it .5%.
CO2 total = 27,245,758 tons
NF3 total = 4,000 tons
NF3 is 17,000 worse than CO2 = 4,000 * 17,000 = 68,800,000
NF3/CO2 = 68,800,000 / 27,245,758 ~ 2.5 times
Now… show me your calculations.
#48 – Mr. Catshit – Looks like you guys have been to the Vet’s. Did it hurt to get fixed?
Both my wife and I are pretty pissed at the Ed. … 😛
And a few Noocular power plants too.
What can I say… the guy has potential…
Jager, doing good so far. First, I got .5% because the number is going to double.
Now where you went wrong, read your wiki chart again. Only post again once you’ve figured it out.
Smartalix (#17 & 26)– My brother says to check out the forthcoming laser televisions. He mentions there are some articles about it at http://laser-tv.org/ which describes the 65″ and 73″ Mitsubishi LaserVue units. He thinks this may be the future of consumer television receivers with greater operating efficiency, brightness, contrast and twice the visible color spectrum of current LCD and PDP displays.
Lifespan for the lasers are suggested at 50,000 hours, versus your DLP bulb’s 2,000 hours, and half of that bulb’s lifespan is producing images at lower lumen output than is optimal.
I’m going now to read more about QD Vision quantum dot displays which are mentioned in an article from Innovation Economy about a recent demo night of Next-Gen Display Technology. Thank you for referencing that conference.
Best Regards,
b.
#50 – MikeN
Okay, I stand corrected. Missed the fine print… 🙁
Sulfur hexafluoride is a measured gas and is considered 25000 times more powerful.
A wealthy industrialist in the mood of a Captain Planet villain could produce ten thousand tons and change the whole Kyoto picture.
dear señor pedro (#53)–
I’ve worked with laser diodes for several years and will research the harmful chemicals required in their production and post back appropriately. I’ve just used them and haven’t built them.
In the meantime, please observe the yellow and black safety warning icon on every industrial laser (it’s like a three spoke version of the old German Iron Cross) that states you should never stare directly into the beam…. In consumer devices, it is fortunate there are safeguards for lasers.
Haven’t quite yet had time yet to check out the quantum dot displays Smartalix led us to.
b.
Sagacious Smartalix–
Spoke with my brother and he said about DLP bulb life and such to look at an article at electronichouse.com that is tagged phatlight_a_new_source_of_illumination.
Haven’t been able to open that one on my machine yet.
not that bright.
b.
#48 – Why thank you.
What really bites is what the carbon offsets are costing me to try and organize the North American Professional Farting Championships.
#48 – “Patrick, Looks like you guys have been to the Vet’s. Did it hurt to get fixed?”
No, but I’m not used to the high squeaky voice change yet.
Well, let’s see, LCD displays for computers are also made the same way as the TVs. I suspect there is more surface area for them than for TV’s, but then maybe not.
I suspect the Fluoride is used to etch/process the silicon dioxide (glass) surface. If so, maybe it can be converted into a closed room process where the gasses are not released.
Maybe we need an ‘ecology’ statement with every product we buy, listing how much its 5 major components contribute to the pollution of the world.
All environmentally aware students talk about the danger, when you become a chemist or engineer, of being talked into work on something that may pose a threat to mankind. Yet here it’s happened again; a product, released on unsuspecting consumers,untested and dangerous. Just like in ‘Silent Spring’ which was written in the 60’s. Did anybody suggest trials? assuming they did not know, which is preposterous to begin with. Of course not; they chose to ride slipshod over their integrity for the sake of a dollar.
Vizio, although a less expensive tv, is of poor quality. I use to work with them buying their returned product from Costco, walmart, and a few other retailers; the tv, as a whole, is simply not that good.