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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus. Editor Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Robert Flynn Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Enquiries Leo Simpson Phone (02) 979 5644 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Garry Cratt, VK2YBX Marque Crozman, VK2ZLZ Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed John Hill Jim Lawler, MTETIA Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Jim Yalden, VK2YGY Bob Young Photography Stuart Bryce SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 003 205 490. All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Macquarie Print, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $49 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 34, 1-3 Jubilee Avenue, Warrie­ wood, NSW 2102. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 979 5644. Fax (02) 979 6503. PUBLISHER'S LETTER Australia can do better with greenhouse gases As I write this editorial, Australia is getting heaps of criticism for its stand on greenhouse gases at the 1995 climate convention in Berlin. And rightly so. Australia, or rather the Australian Government, has wimped out on the issue. Because there was so much opposition from industry groups to a carbon tax, the Government has basically thrown its hands up in the air and given up. Well, that’s not good enough and now Australia is copping criticism. Sure, Australia’s contribution to total greenhouse emissions is small but there is no reason we can’t do a lot better. The Government took the right tack in not adopting a carbon tax. It could have hurt the economy right at the time when it was emerging from a recession. The Government also correctly judged that any new tax would be heavily opposed, especially as there is considerable pressure for it to balance the budget by cutting expenditure rather than by increasing revenue. But this general pressure to cut expenditure also points the way in which Austra­lia could move towards meeting the aim of the last climate con­ference in Rio De Janiero in which we undertook to reduce our carbon emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000. Cutting energy use is dead easy and virtually everyone can do it. I’ll go further and state that everyone and every organi­sation can probably cut their yearly energy consumption by at least 10% right now, with very little effort. It only requires sensible actions like not using lights unnecessarily, turning down the thermostats on water heaters to 60°C, turning off stoves and ovens earlier so that food finishes cooking with stored heat and so on. How about using your car less often? Industry can also do much better in its use of motor vehicles, lighting, air-condi­tioning and process heating. The Government should adopt a positive policy of encourag­ing energy conservation. This approach has worked quite well with water conservation over the last year in New South Wales and there is no reason why it should not work for energy consumption throughout Australia. But the Government can also do a lot more in encouraging the development of solar technology in this country. It is where we have lots of natural advantages and could be an area of great export potential in the future. Instead, we have all this silly posturing by politicians and industry leaders about the “Informa­tion Superhighway”, something they obviously know very little about. Let’s face it: the “Information Superhighway” is little more than a catchy phrase thought up by Al Gore in the last US Presidential campaign. And like most political slogans, it is practically meaningless. On the other hand, climate change is real and while we may not know or understand all the causes, we should do our bit to conserve energy and reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases. Leo Simpson ISSN 1030-2662 WARNING! SILICON CHIP magazine regularly describes projects which employ a mains power supply or produce high voltage. All such projects should be considered dangerous or even lethal if not used safely. Readers are warned that high voltage wiring should be carried out according to the instructions in the articles. When working on these projects use extreme care to ensure that you do not accidentally come into contact with mains AC voltages or high voltage DC. If you are not confident about working with projects employing mains voltages or other high voltages, you are advised not to attempt work on them. Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd disclaims any liability for damages should anyone be killed or injured while working on a project or circuit described in any issue of SILICON CHIP magazine. Devices or circuits described in SILICON CHIP may be covered by patents. SILICON CHIP disclaims any liability for the infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of any such equipment. SILICON CHIP also disclaims any liability for projects which are used in such a way as to infringe relevant government regulations and by-laws. Advertisers are warned that they are responsible for the content of all advertisements and that they must conform to the Trade Practices Act 1974 or as subsequently amended and to any governmental regulations which are applicable. 2  Silicon Chip