Simple tips to save electricity, tips for electricity conservation

Considering the hectic, fast paced life that we lead, we depend on electrical gadgets and equipments to get quick results. The past few years have recorded the warmest surface temperatures ever in global history. Human activity is the biggest factor that has led to global warming. It is now up to individuals and organizations to take collective action to slow down and reverse global warming by using our energy resources cautiously, minimizing fossil fuel usage and conserving electricity.

Conserving electricity is very important because the largest source of carbon-dioxide and other heat-trapping ‘green house’ gases into the atmosphere is electric power generation. Coal and oil constitute more than 80 percent of fuel supply used to generate electricity. Coal combustion leads to the largest amount of CO2 per energy unit of any fossil fuel. So the key is to conserve electricity and reduce electric power usage.

When we restrict electric power use, we not only save money and breathe clean air, but also take concrete steps to reverse global warming. Each kilo-watt hour of electricity saved gets rid of 1.5 to 2 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

In economically challenging times like the present, it is even more important to conserve electricity because of the rising energy costs. It will be beneficial if we as families take the first step in conserving electricity and tackle the problem of climate crisis at the grass-root level. Here are some of the simple things we can do to conserve electricity:

• It is a common practice for us to use the remote control to switch off the TV. But this actually keeps the TV on in a stand-by mode where it can consume 6 watts per hour. Even if you turn the TV off and not switch off at the plug point, the TV still consumes 0 .5 to 1 watt power.
• We should make it a point to switch off cell phone chargers and electrical mosquito repellents from the mains after use, so that they do not consume power. The cell phone charger utilizes 3 watts per hour, when it remains plugged. So once the battery is charged, we should take the charger off the plug point. Mosquito repellents can consume 5 watts per hour.
• Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioners as far as possible. You will also save a lot on electricity bills. Replacing the metal blades of a fan with fiber blades can save twenty percent energy overall.
• If air conditioning is something that you have to go for, it is better to go for split air-conditioning rather than centralized air-conditioning. Split air-conditioning will only cool specific areas where cooling is needed. Besides this, cleaning the filter of air conditioners leads to quick cooling while at the same time, ensuring efficient use of electricity.
• It is better to install two 23 watt Compact Fluorescent Lights at opposite sides of the room rather than installing a single 40 watt tube-light. The benefit is you can opt for only one of the CFLs if you do not need bright light all the time.
• If you are a family of four people, you can go for a refrigerator of 80 liters capacity rather than a 165-liter one. A refrigerator consumes 1.3 to 4 units daily depending on its size, make and model

Let us all take a stand in saving our planet from climatic crisis and global warming by participating in the Orkut Earth Hour campaign and/or Facebook Earth Hour campaign (Valid till March 28 2009 only)

Watt about earth hour

For the first time in history, the world will vote as a whole to tackle the biggest problem our Earth faces-global warming. WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and other NGOs across the globe have joined hands to target 1 billion votes, which will be presented to the world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. The meeting will devise concrete steps to tackle global warming in the most effective manner.

Earth Hour which kicked off to a resounding success in 2007 at Sydney had 2.2 million homes and businesses switch of their lights for an hour. It reduced the city’s energy consumption by 10.2 percent for one hour. This is equal to having 48,616 vehicles off the road for a year! The move met with a resonating success again in 2008 as well where 50 million people in various parts of the world, switched off their lights for one hour. Earth Hour will next take place on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm, local time. More than 80 countries and territories including India, have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009. One of the most well-known personalities in India, actor-director Aamir Khan will be spear-heading the campaign in India.

It is expected that a billion people across the world will switch off their lights for one hour from as an endeavor to counter climatic change. Climatic change and global warming is a real problem which requires proactive solutions. It is not a problem of just one country in isolation of other nations; it is a real issue that should elicit a reality check in all of us. It is high time we thought of taking a stand as a planet, rather than looking it from the perspective of a nation. We should all come together and take a call on how we can save the future of the planet. If we do not, the upcoming generation will live in dark, literally speaking and have to make compromises with whatever little resources there is left in the planet.

Let us all take a stand in saving our planet from climatic crisis and global warming. Join Aamir Khan in the Orkut Earth Hour campaign and/or Facebook Earth Hour campaign