Read type- Leisure Read Read time- 4 minutes
It is brilliant that we have schemes like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana which aims at every Indian household having an electricity and LPG connection because our per-capita energy consumption is only 1/3rd of the world average. However, there is also the United Nations IPCC* report that states that the temperatures and levels of Carbon Dioxide have risen to numbers never foreseen or experienced before (due to energy and other wastes).
Do you know there is 95% certainty that humans are responsible for global warming? Time to step up, own the responsibility and take corrective action, we say! While the Government does its bit to increase energy efficiency, let us start from our homes and make them energy efficient.
Understand the energy sources
How about you start with an energy audit of your house? There are energy monitors available these days for you that use Machine Learning to gauge which devices you are using, how much energy is being consumed by them and by entering your unit cost you can even derive at your approximate electricity bills. Or, you can even hire contractual services that offer energy audits of your homes.
The bigger agenda here is to get to the root of the issues so that they can be resolved.
How do you achieve the goal?
- Did you know incandescent light bulbs convert only 10% of the energy they consume, into light? The rest is converted into heat. Thus, consider using LEDs and CFLs which can reduce energy consumption by 50-75% and even last longer.
- Consider doing away with storage geysers that store up water and, in the process, end up consuming more energy in order to heat an amount of water that you might not even need. Instead, use tankless waters which shall heat only as much water as you need.
- Insulate your home. Look for holes, gaps etc. around pipes, ACs, attics, window frames etc. These air leaks cause a much higher consumption of energy.
- Modify your bathrooms with installations such as low-flow toilets that reduce the litres per flush, vacuum assisted toilets or dual flush toilets which come switch two settings to determine how much water is being used for each flush.
- Use energy star-rated appliances to reduce energy waste. Also, avoid keeping heavier appliances like a refrigerator closer to stoves. When exposed to warmer areas, they will consume more energy in order to remain cooler
- As smaller initiatives- unplug chargers when not in use, use a microwave oven instead of conventional ovens, use pressure cookers to cook, dry your clothes in the sun and avoid using the dryer and many more such tiny steps can be taken to conserve energy.
We, being a more technologically inclined generation, have a bigger task at hand. The heat generated from equipment, chemicals entering the environment and the use of fuels is at its maximum. Hence, it becomes all the more important to take corrective measures today. Also, keep in mind the savings on the utility bills this will result in which is an added plus!