equipment switched on

Well I am 0.8 Planets on the WWF footprint calculator. I do leave my Naim on - but everything else gets switched off when not in use - such as TV off, not red light standby. My picture is not sharper if I leave the TV in standby.

Simon

Digital amplification will of course be far more efficient in use in future. G

I don't dare to reveal my score, but there is some mitigating circumstances including that Naim equipment are quite sustainable development -friendly stuff.  

For a score of 0.8 you must be an organic vegetarian who lives in a tent and never goes anywhere but on foot. My score is 2.2 and, apart from my car which I use 90% for work, I thought I was good with energy saving measures and recycling.

With the plant naim always on sonic performance are very high so as to advise against switching off.
But what is the daily consumption?
Here in Italy, the energy saving is acutely aware of the policy, but in fact the first to waste energy are local governments, illuminating every type of road monuments or sometimes even during the day and who pays is the citizen.
I do not feel guilty about my system always on the energy savings I do trying to use as little as possible the automobile, the first to be guilty of bad condizzioni air.

The carbon footprint (and energy use) of flying heavy 500-series kit across the planet (to Salisbury) in a Boeing 747 for a re-cap is very high.

I have calculated that is far more efficient and (far kinder to the planet) to leave a Naim system switched on, thus avoiding the premature need for re-capping.

Many of the posts above take a very narrow view of efficiency. This is short-sightedness!

As soon as one takes a broad view of efficiency, which is far more rational/logical, then one soon works out that it is better to leave one's kit plugged in. And that's without even considering the sonic benefit.......... 

Engelbert

You are quite right. A 500 in North America should be recapped there ...

There is not one single piece of evidence of premature servicing being brought on by turning off.

Unless you can point to one? .... And if you cannot then your argument will not do.

With a 500 for example, a quick study of the quiescent power consumption will soon convince anyone that the machine would be far better turned off when not in use from either a lifetime or cost perspective.

I am not sure that one needs to run such a power-hungry amplifier to achieve fine musical results, given that the power consumption of other Naim amps is very much less.

ATB from George

Dear Happy Listener,

I am not painting anyone in any light at all, but merely pointing out examples of waste and excess.

If that is discomfiting - the caps fits - then I shall have made thought come forward, which can be nothing but good.

Above is a reference to a Forum Member, who has a WWF carbon footprint of 0.8 planets, as being someone who must live in a tent and so on. But the reality is that we must all seek to reduce our carbon footprint to certainly lower than 1 or else there will be no Planet left for future generations. Even today the flora and fauna of our planet as well as the finite resources are being consumed at an alarming  and unsustainable rate. For the sake of future generations this must change. To think otherwise - nay, even to justify waste and excess - is the height of folly and completely irresponsible.

We need to live in tune with what Nature can support as a species. This involves many insightful changes to out behaviour, if we are to husband the Earth's resources.

ATB from George

Come on guys, this carbon footprint calculation is as pretentious as the life style of a green party activists. My index is 3.4. mostly on account of my eating habits and the fact that I drive a propper car and (have to) use it on a daily basis. Sorry, public transport is just not an option if I want to arrive for work in one piece and in a clean suit. I know that this sounds awfully posh, but it is a simple truth.

On the other hand I do switch off all electric devices, when they are not in use, including the hifi and TV.

I don't blame anyone for leaving thair Naim boxes on 24/7. But I do blame Naim for designing stuff that (supposedely) requires this practice.

Doesn't it make you think that products like a Devialet or Wadia Intuition offer top of the pops performance at only a fraction of the energy consumpion? In addition, nobody would even consider that a 24/7 powered up state would have even the slightest effect on SQ with these devices.

Dear Pink Hamster,

Are you a bachelor with no offspring? And therefore, no reason to consider the future after you die and so on.

If so your attitude is understandable, but no less reprehensible.

Your position is unsustainable and selfish.

ATB from George

Surely there is an assumption in many posts above that the calculations are impartial and accurate. Yet does everyone out there really believe that the WWF, a fine organisation which I have made a monthly donation to for decades, cannot possibly be understandably politically motivated to - shall we say - adjust the calculations to make sure the guilt quotient is as high as possible?

It is unarguable to the point of cliché that we should not each minimise our effect on the earth's resources. If this calculator encourages people to follow a more sustainable lifestyle, then how can it be a bad thing? But to take the figures provided (with their suspiciously accurate result - 3 significant figures with no quoted uncertainty, when much of the source data is to 1 sf) completely at face value and unquestioningly is surely naïve, to say the least.

i am sure the calculation would be more accurate if the WWF actually asked for the real annual expenditure on electric, gas, and road fuel [and other public transport], as well that for meat, veg and other groceries, consumer durables and so on.

The point is that consumption of unsustainable resources needs to fall by something like two thirds in the UK.

ATB from George

Steve, not quite, but we don't drive much on average, no boring commutes, we eat / drink local food where we can and organic where we can, even some from the village, don't eat meat every day and have our house central-heating at the top end of cool.. It all seems to have an impact. But I did have to say I had bought hifi in the last 12 months  which according to the WWF along with our 2L diesel car appear to be our main vices.. We are alsoo religious recyclers, and Mrs SinS tells me Suffolk is one of the leading recycling counties in the UK.

So keeping my Naim powered up seems almost inconsequential by comparison.

Simon

George,

I am with you the major aspects. But I really wouldn't know where to start. Yes, I could drive smaller car, but that's about it. I work for a company producing industrial equipment which is designed to reduce over all energy consumtion. In this function I also sit in airplanes on a regular basis, which also takes its toll on my carbon footprint. Not everything can be done via video or Lync.

Our flat is fully insulated. Still, or just because of this fact, I refuse to sit at home at 18 degrees. Shame on me!

Does that include leaving ESL-57s on George?

ISTR you saying that they needed to be on for 36hrs or so to be at their best.

And how does this square with working in an industry that produces luxury product that requires large amounts of energy to keep it 30C-40C below ambient temperature?

John

Dear Mr.Hamster,

You're thinking about it. That is a start. Your conscience will be the governor of how or if you make changes. Some may seem quite difficult in front, but once your break a few assumptions, you may be surprised!

ATB from George

Absolutely.

In line with the original advice from Peter Walker, I turn them off at the end of use.

At 1 watt per unit for their internal powering, and demanding far less power from the amp than conventional speakers, they represent the complete economic and most sustainable type of speaker available.

They discharge over about four days when turned off, and come back to life in minutes when turned on. As Peter Walker said, they come back to life in less time than it takes a valve amp to warm-up.

The first charge after rebuild takes 36 hours.

ATB from George

And the cows that produce the milk are one the major producers of greenhouse gasses. 

But the funny thing about agriculture is that it is the second oldest industry, and without it the human population would be still in the millions, not billions!

And without it there would be no other industry either.

Mind you, the real hair-shirtistas might welcome that!

ATB from George

I consider the planet's environment in the future after I die is worth preserving and I have no offspring.

Preserving the environment simply so ones own offspring (and their offspring, and their offspring's offspring etc etc) can continue to consume finite resources is just about as selfish as needlessly consuming them yourself, isn't it?

"We must save the planet for future generations" is a disingenuous sentiment. You want to save the planet? Fine, take action now to drastically reduce the scale of "future generations". It is better for them not be born at all, than to live cruel and harsh lives as the planet's resources finally fail us.

Dear Winki,

I have and shall have no offspring. But I care about the future for all that ...

ATB from George

Just an opinion, but how about listening some music for a change?

Just occasionally a more important topic comes up!

ATB from George