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Scientist Warns Plasma And LCD Televisions Could Be Destroying Our Environment

7:40 PM - July 3, 2008 by Humphrey Cheung
Source: Tom's Hardware US – Category : Miscellaneous
69 comments

Los Angeles (CA) - A University of California scientist says our love of large television sets could be destroying our environment.

PZ850 plasma youtubeMichael Prather claims nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) gas used in the production of plasma and LCD televisions could be more than 17000 times as powerful as carbon dioxide in heating the atmosphere. The gas is not covered by the Kyoto Treaty and Prather says 4000 tons were produced in 2008 - which according to Prather’s calculations is equivalent to 68 million tons of CO2.

Prather adds that NF3 gas production is expected to double next year.

Read more ... Australian Broadcasting Channel


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lordmetroid 07/04/2008 2:01 AM
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Christopher1 07/04/2008 2:19 AM
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sajohnson22 07/04/2008 3:08 AM
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sajohnson22

Christopher1 and lordmetroid look up the greenhouse gas effect and tell me they don't have an effect.

jumpman 07/04/2008 3:18 AM
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jumpman

sajohnson22 :
Christopher1 and lordmetroid look up the greenhouse gas effect and tell me they don't have an effect.



seriously, to think global warming doesn't happen is just plain ignorance. however, you have to realize that climate change has been happening on this planet for a good 4.5 billion years, and that all we are doing right now is speeding up that process.

And to Christopher1, learn your history. The 1800's were the days of the Industrial Revolution, pollution was horrible during that time. So going back to the 1800's is a step backwards no matter who you ask, as far as this issue is concerned anyways.

babybudha 07/04/2008 5:20 AM
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xxsk8er101xx 07/04/2008 5:36 AM
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xxsk8er101xx 07/04/2008 5:46 AM
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bobmercer 07/04/2008 6:32 AM
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Niva 07/04/2008 7:01 AM
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Niva

All the guy is saying is that the gas is harmful and the industry should try to limit emissions. He might be right, if he is it's good to have it pointed out. The more we minimize our footprint on nature the better. I do like my big LCDs though :)

MDillenbeck 07/04/2008 7:12 AM
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MDillenbeck

Okay, at Atomz web site (first one on google when searching for "CO2 exhaled by a human in one year"), you see that for all humans there are about 2.23 gigatons of CO2 per year with about 3 teratons of CO2 currently in the atomosphere. Obviously human exhalation is not a major source of CO2 - only 0.001115% by breathing from the human species. (No account was made for our livestock.)

"CO2 is not a greenhouse gas" - as stated above, it is. Take a few science courses to understand the scientific method (replication, reproducibility, independent verification, prediction) then read up on the evidence supporting CO2 as a greenhouse gas. While your at it, read up on how particulates and albedo of glaciers/ice also influence temperatures.

"Humans devices do not produce enough CO2 to influence global atmospheric concentrations" - again, crack open some books and scientific journals. Heck, read statistical reports from various state DOTs, the EPA, and other governmental agencies. Believe it or not, there are many states where people have to take their cars in to have their emission levels tested - and they record and analyze this data. They use the wonderful mathematical invention of statistics to make accurate predictions. (So add taking a stats course or two to your list.)

"Warming is caused by the sun, thus greenhouse gases don't cause temperature fluctations". Now add taking a course on argumentative composition or logic - or regularly read R. Moody's logical fallacy of the day. Learn that logic arguments like "how can you believe his statement that most US citizens don't save enough money - he's disshevelled, smelly, and an atheist so he can't be right!" are invalid and unsound, as are arguments like "all crows are black birds, therefore the black bird I see must be a crow". The point is this - just because sun spot fluctuations and thus solar radiation fluctuations can cause global temperature variations, not all variations in global temperatures are solely caused by fluctuations in solar activity/radiation.

So, once you actually understand what science is - such as the drastic definition of a theory in science (a hypothesis that has been tested repeatedly over many, many, many replications by independent parties that has yet to be proven false) versus in common speach (a guess) - and have a solid foundation in the sciences required (statistics and other forms of mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, and logic/argument - and perhaps a bit of policy science), you'll be ready to make sound, valid, and rational arguments.

Until that time, I'll keep believing in greenhouse gases and anthropogenic influences on global greenhouse gas levels, the theory of evolution, and the Universal Theory of Gravity - though I am sure there are those who will tell me the only reason that the book dropped on my foot was because God willed it since I'm one of those wacko SOBs who believes in the scientific method!

Spyhawk 07/04/2008 8:24 AM
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Spyhawk

Yep I will second what he said :-)

Spyhawk 07/04/2008 8:29 AM
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Spyhawk

But seriously, every time this topic comes up in a convo, unfortunatley many people tend to go into a state of, "Oh come on, it not really that bad" Thes people have no scientific background whatsoever, have never studied the issues seriously, but because the consequenses of global warming are potentially catastophic, they will try to rationlize it in a way to minimize the consequenses, fear factor. Many people do this automatically without knowing it

DeNelo 07/04/2008 9:49 AM
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DeNelo

MDillenbeck: You were going along fine, and then came this,
"...though I am sure there are those who will tell me the only reason that the book dropped on my foot was because God willed it since I'm one of those wacko SOBs who believes in the scientific method!"
I resent the notion that if you believe in God, you do not believe in the scientific method. Read a book on logic... :o)

martel80 07/04/2008 10:45 AM
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Webmaster T 07/04/2008 11:28 AM
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Webmaster T

This could be very bad for the environment since everyone in my area is buying LCD Monitors. Scientist must get to work and solve this problem.

Anonymous 07/04/2008 11:42 AM
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I don't belive it just disapears. ;-)
The only other option I see is it's used to create some other substance/material/... don't know how to call it - is transformed into some other form (in chemical reaction).

balou 07/04/2008 12:13 PM
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balou

First, to martel80:
NF3 is "used IN" and not used FOR the production of the flatsceens.
I'm not English-speaking but I can read.
Mr M. Prather can be right: there are other greenhouse products that have more (proven)negative effects than CO2. If CO2=1 the effect of
CH4 (methane, produced by every living creature...)=23 times as powerfull as CO2.
N2O=269, CF4=5700 - 11900, SF6=22200 times, so I believe that NF3 can have also this bad effect.
I follow the catholic way of life but please don't make me sick with claiming the scientific value of the Bible (or Koran):
"the earth is ABOUT 6000 years old"??? Do you believe still in Santa too ??

xsamitt 07/04/2008 3:11 AM
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xsamitt

I believe most people have an agenda.I doub't this guy is any different.
But I do belive there is at least some truth to what he said.How much is a different.

Oh and for the record.......The Earth is way more than 6000 years old.Clearly you didnt read it right.Sorry Bro.

exiled scotsman 07/04/2008 3:38 AM
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exiled scotsman

I hope all you people think back to these comments when the shit begins to hit the fan. When water no longer flows out of your faucet because you didn't take water conservation seriously. I hope you think back when you wonder why you can't buy fish because overfishing and pollution killed most stocks off or why you can no longer afford food at the supermarket because the price of oil is so high. I hope you think back when you hear stories about people being killed in the streets for gas or food or for no reason at all because government has failed you. I hope you think back when the shit hits the fan and wonder why you didn't do anything to try and prevent it. And why now, are you forced to eat the pages of your favorite bible because there is nothing else to eat. Where was the common sense? Yeah, it died a long time ago.

xsamitt 07/04/2008 5:17 AM
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xsamitt

Exiled scotsman....Yes i do agree with what you've said...A 100%.
One day the bottom will drop out..........and it's in our lifetime.

But I do try and be as positive as I can be.And I do what I can when I can to help our planet.And yes I know 1 person can't make a big difference.....But at least I do try to make a difference.....Thats the difference.

I live where there was very little problems air wize.......none really......But for the past few years the air is getting pretty bad.....Becasue of where I live the air in certian direction come across the sea from a well known country......so that's when the sky is all blue form what ever it is.

IT all about greed and big profits at the end of the day.

stromm 07/04/2008 6:34 AM
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stromm

babybudha :
Well,according to the most accurate history/science book (AKA. The Bible), the earth is only about 6000 years old.



Um, what total rubbish. I'll give you that the bible is a history book. However, it's not a science book, nor the most accurate history book ever. Even allowing for the fact that history books are written by the winners, modern day history books are much more accurate simply because they are written by people who lived during the events.

It's interesting that people who claim to believe/follow everything in the bible are so willing to ignore the harsher aspects of it, yet cling to "facts" which are proven wrong again and again. No where in the early versions of the bible is it stated that the Earth is around 6000 years old. This is a total misconception and fabrication by the religious-political powers attempting to maintain and control their financial backing. It's sad how "religious types" are the first to nit-pick what they want to believe vs. believing the whole as science dictates.

Fact: There is no evidence as to the Earth being around 6000 years old in the bible. Third party hearsay doesn't count as evidence.

The bible was compiled from over 300 other texts by a counsil of priests. One of the major factors they used to decide which texts were included was the political and financial impact on their governments. Makes us wonder what was in the other texts that were chucked in the fire.

Most of the bible was written by people who did not even witness what is being written about.

Most of the bible is directly ripped off from older belief stories, but modified to fit the social/political issues of the times. Proof of this is that there are over 50 distinct versions of the "Christian" bible, each with significant variations many of which contradict the other versions.

islseur 07/04/2008 6:35 AM
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islseur

MDillenbeck :
... Heck, read statistical reports from various state DOTs, the EPA, and other governmental agencies...


Hmmm what a wonderful advice...After doing that I have found the government of the united states of America together with the "scientific community" the most manipulating, lying, indoctrinating, brain washing, criminal, murderous, unjust and corrupted entities on the face of the earth.

MDillenbeck :
...Until that time, I'll keep believing in greenhouse gases and anthropogenic influences on global greenhouse gas levels, the theory of evolution, and the Universal Theory of Gravity...


Yes. Keep believing in what you have been indoctrinated in the government institutions and please stop being so ridiculously arrogant, boastful, patronizing, snobish and condescending.

And BTW, you wrong. Start getting used to an idea that you can be wrong. Global warming is a political issue to try and force carbon tax on humanity and suck some more blood from the poor by the wealthy, "educated" and "enlightened" fellows that you seem to associate yourself with.

Sad but true.

Good day.

MafiaAce 07/04/2008 7:03 AM
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MafiaAce

Yes CO2 levels do have some influence on climate change as well as earth's average temperature, but they are simply drops in the bucket compared to the real reason earth experiences climate change. Ever read anything about sunspots? All it takes is a couple and we may very well enter the next ice age. Likewise, slight variances in solar radiation as well as changes in earth's electromagnetic field can have a huge influence on the climate of our planet. And CO2 emissions? Negligible in the greater scheme of our solar system.

Anonymous 07/04/2008 7:32 AM
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Every time I hear ppl debating about global warming I can't help but think that we are missing the point. I don't really care if global warming is happening or not, I actually care much more about how much we pollute and waste. We need to protect where we live, would you let someone in your family dirty your house or break everything inside of it? I don't think so. Why not do the same for our planet. I think media has a big role in this because when I was younger pollution and recycling were the big issues and most of us agree that those are important, but now it has switch over to global warming which is basicly a different name for the same thing but creates much more confusion and problems... My two cents...

gm0n3y 07/04/2008 8:30 AM
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gm0n3y

babybudha :
Well,according to the most accurate history/science book (AKA. The Bible), the earth is only about 6000 years old.



Why are people getting all mad at this comment? I just assumed he was joking and thought it was kind of funny. Although not living in the US, I generally assume that nobody really believes this.

Also, @Mat-Tito, I completely agree with you. Whether global warming exists or not (though I believe it does), it is essential that we as a species do our best to limit the amount of pollution we create and conserve what resources we haven't already depleted. You'll be hard pressed to find somebody arguing that fish stocks are dying out naturally or that the terrible air quality in many cities is a natural phenomenon.

dmacfour 07/04/2008 8:43 AM
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dmacfour

Oh god not the 6000 year old debate again. Maybe you should try reading the bible yourself sometime. Tell me where the bible says how old the earth is instead of quoting some medieval theologian who really didn't know how old the earth is.

Ananan 07/04/2008 8:53 AM
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Alchemy69 07/04/2008 9:53 AM
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