In
recent decades, the world’s use of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) is generating
enough CO2 to heat our oceans equivalent to three to six Hiroshima bombs persecond, SECOND AFTER SECOND. With huge impacts on life on earth..
We have to bring down our use of fossil fuels as fast as
possible. Governments cant do it because people want quality of life which
currently seems to be linked to use of fossil fuels. We have to demonstrate
that we can maintain our quality of life while reducing use of fossil fuels.
40 % of all CO2 emissions are caused by electricity
generation from fossil fuels. We have tried out these 25 methods to gradually
reduce our electricity use :
Home Lighting
- In the early 90s, we moved to using 60 W
filament bulbs instead of 100 W.
- In mid-90s, we replaced nearly all our filament
bulbs with CFLs, thus reducing per light load to 18 and 36 W from 60 W.
Some bulbs stayed in special fittings and lamps as CFLs did not then come
in those sizes.
- We were slow to move to LEDs unfortunately,
because a lot of our early CFLs, then quite expensive, had had to be
replaced for inferior quality. So we were waiting for assured quality.
Also, we could not then find yellow light LEDs and could not stand white
light. But now for the last 2 years or so, we buy only LEDs and are
gradually replacing all bulbs as the past ones die out. All heavy use
lights already have LEDs.
- We find our selves becoming more economical in
the use of lighting. One light suffices where two were put on habitually
earlier.
- Outside light is utilized to the maximum by
hanging transparent plastic curtain on the doors which get a lot of light.
This plastic curtain keeps out the cold air in winter and hot air in
summer, while letting in light.
- Window glasses are curtained off for the night
only at sleep time as until then they continue letting in outside light.
- In consultation with our neighbours, we keep
less of the lights of our common corridor on.
- Two of our torches are solar.
Cooling home in summers
- Our mini honeycomb pad cooler uses just 90 W
instead of the 350 W and above, for mid-sized woodwool coolers.
- We have just learnt that slower speeds in fans
use much less electricity than full speed, so we will now use them at more
optimum levels.
- We have just learnt about and started replacing
old induction motor 90 W fans with new electronic motor 28 W fans – whenever
old fans go out of order and cannot be repaired.
- Our AC use is 10 % compared to our neighbours
and only on the hottest days for short durations. The coolers carry on
cooling after the AC is shut off. Coolers even circulate the cool air to a
second room if both are occupied.
- All sun receiving areas of the house are shaded
during summer with green nursery cloth. Tirpals / roller blinds / plastic
curtains are used, preferably outside the sun receiving windows, so the
glass does not heat up.
Heating Home in Winters
- We have maximized sun use when it is comfortable
to be outside. Our balcony / garden are equipped with electric point for
laptop, table and chair, so one can spend long hours outside.
- Blowers and Oil Radiators use 1000 or 2000 W at
a time. In contrast halogen rod heaters use 125-400 W rods for heating and
one can use multiple rods for faster heating.
- But as we have become more conscious of what
global warming implies, we find ourselves dressing up even more warmly at
home – as a result, this winter we have not needed to use heaters at all.
- Hot water is used only for bathing, not for
washing of hands or washing utensils. Ofcourse, someone unwell would use
the hot water stored in the geyser for washing hands, or an especially
dirty utensil would be washed in hot water.
Electronics
- All computers are now switched off for the night
as are spike busters connecting them to power sources.
- When we are getting up from our computers, we
are more conscious to immediately put them to sleep while we are away.
Use of Appliances
- Having become more economical in our use of
electricity, we now use the full capacity of an oven while baking rather
than partially. For example, all shakarkandi (sweet potato) is baked
together in larger quantitiy at a go.
- Washing Machines are ofcourse used only at full
load.
- Hot things are not put inside the Fridge but
allowed to come to room temperature before putting them in the fridge.
- Frozen foods are taken out some time before so
they can attain room temperature before use.
- In summer, water from the fridge is mixed with
normal temperature water in thermoses to get the right temperature for
drinking water. The fridge does not have to be opened day long for
drinking water then, thus conserving on electricity use.
- My Dad and Us both have a floor each in Delhi,
and uptil now, fridges were left on in both floors when my dad was away to
nainital and we were in bhiwadi. We now shifted our fridge stuff that
needs preserving onto a single tray that is placed in my father’s fridge,
so one fridge is left on when we are away, not two.
As a result, we seemed to
have more than halved our electricity bills to about 850-950 rs. a month.
However, there are lots of frontiers to reach still to reduce
our use of electricity and we will work towards them :
- The fridge is left on when we are away. We will
apply our mind to see if we can shut it off when away, without wasting the
food.
- We want to use solar for more of our electricity
needs and have been gradually exploring it.
