the result of
more accurate than
(28) 1 first impressions are misleading
2 human intuition can always be trusted
3 science can verify human intuition
4 first impressions occur instantly
Standing By
Microwave ovens consume more electricity powering their digital
timers than they do heating food despite the fact that heating food requires more than 100 times the energy.This seems( 29 ) until we realize that most microwave ovens are in“standby”mode more than99 percent of the time.Many other devices,such as televisions and computers,also spend much of their lives the same way,collectively consuming vast amounts of energy.Yet much of this waste is unnecessary.As researcher J.];)Ross points out,some TVs have a high standby load while others use only miniscule amounts on standby, showing that“you can still have the functionality without the loss of electricity''Modifying appliances currently in use is highly impractical,so
there is little hope for reducing the inefficiency of existing devices beyond encouraging people to unplug them when not in use.However, regulators around the world have started to introduce guidelines designed to encourage manufacturers to make new products less power hungry.Compliance with most of these rules is voluntary,but in some places the authorities( 30 ).In late2004,for example,the California Energy Commission placed limits on standby-power consumption for various consumer-electronic devices.It is now illegal in California to sella television or DVD player that uses more than three watts of electricity an hour in standby mode,and there are moves afoot to reduce that to one.
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