EU Coffee Makers

In keeping a close eye on their climate target figures on CO₂ emissions for 2020, the European Union (EU) has already banned all incandescent bulbs of more than 25 watts in Europe. In this respect, Red Baron is a model student. In 1995, I started changing all power hog light sources at home to fluorescent lamps, and I am presently converting these second-generation light sources to LEDs, thus making my CO₂ footprint even smaller.

As far as vacuum cleaners are concerned, the European Union decided that starting on September 1, 2014, machines with a power consumption of more than 1600 watts must no longer be sold in the EU. In 2017 the power of vacuum cleaners will be further reduced to 900 watts. Sorry, my present vacuum cleaner consumes 2200 watts, and it is unlikely that I shall replace it in my lifetime.

Photo ©dpa

This week the EU hit again! Today the Badische Zeitung (BZ) reported about a new Regulation for coffee makers. Starting on January 1, 2015, all machines sold in the EU must be equipped with an automatic shut-off of their warming plates. For non-insulated coffee pots, the time-lapse was fixed to less than forty minutes. 

I imagine such an attack on coffee makers in the US is unconstitutional, although Wally would notice such a time limitation with his ongoing coffee consumption. 

Non-obstat that I consider keeping a coffee warm an offense against good taste.

All cartoons on Wally and his coffee consumption are ©Scott Adams

Red Baron likes his coffee hot and freshly made. My machine produces the correct quantity needed for direct consumption without any after-warming. Currently, there is no regulation on that, but you are never sure about the EU.

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