By Karthik Raj Guruchandran
There has never been such good support for being energy-conscious. People around the world are taking the environment much more seriously and want to conserve and spend energy wisely, more than ever before. The dramatic changes in climate that we see today is because of the energy we burnt 30 years ago. So, what we do today will have effects on the climate for the next 30 years. If we were to continue the trend, unexpected and severe climatic change will happen in the next 30 years - which scientists predict can cause an increase in global temperatures of up to 4 degrees.
The future is today
So, if we are very careful in spending energy and burning fossil fuels, we can bring back the world close to its natural state and leave our children to enjoy the world as we have seen. The result of whatever we decide to do today can only be felt and seen in 2040. But it is not very difficult to cut down on carbon-dioxide emissions, that cause global warming. All we need is to stay united to solve this problem and do minor tweaks in our lifestyle. With a problem like this, every penny counts. So, even a simple change can make a great impact.
To get you started, here are some basic tips to be green:
- Turn off any electrical equipment when not in use
- Try replacing the traditional filament bulbs with energy saving light bulbs. Even more energy saving LED bulbs are to be released soon, so look out for them
- Recycle your old working electrical equipment to the needy. Most cities have a recycling facility organised by volunteers. So, before throwing anything out, post an advert, so people who need it can use it
- Recycle your non-working equipment safely in government designated places. This means much less goes towards landfill and most of it is re-used
- Sell off your unused mobile phones or donate them to a charity. There are a number of companies that buy your old and unused mobile phone for cash. Use the facility
- Switch off your television, internet router or any other equipment that is on standby, when you go to sleep. The standby current for consumer goods uses less power, but still can make an impact
- Recycle as much waste as possible. The best way to do this is to first separate the waste into plastic, glass, cartons and land fill
- Cut down your meat intake
- Don't throw food away. This ends up in land fill eventually. Supermarkets come up with a range of offers for all goods that are slow sellers. Don't get lured by it. Buy only what you think is needed
- If there are leftovers, they can still be cooked into a tasty meal. Try searching the internet for leftover recipes
- Use fruit/vegetable waste as manure in your garden. Instead of throwing the banana peel in the bin, slice it up and use it as manure in your own garden
- Try growing plants in free spaces in your garden. They double up as food and also help the environment
- Eat more local produce. It will be fresh and doesn't need to be shipped from exotic locations around the world
- Try replacing whole milk with semi-skimmed milk. A pint of semi-skimmed milk is 100g more CO2 efficient than whole milk
- Maintain the temperature of your refrigerator as high as possible. Most of us never bother changing the knob to control temperature. Only set the temperature to low (maximum cooling) if your fridge is full of stuff
- Use the washing machine only when you have a full load
- Use detergents that work at lower temperatures, so you do not have to heat water to wash
- Use the sun. Dry your clothes in sunlight. It kills germs and also dries them for free
- Invest in quality duvets and curtains. This means not using the heating system all through the night. Good quality duvets can contain almost all body heat leading to virtually no loss of heat
- Use solar panel bulbs for the garden and for outdoor lighting. The cheap ones cost from around $15 and will last for a while without any additional costs
- Don't buy something because it is a bit cheaper. Buy stuff that will last longer. That way, you don't have to recycle them often
- Take a shower instead of a bath. By spending 2 minutes less in the shower, we can save 400 gallons of water every year. Just think how much we could save by not taking a bath and instead taking a shower
- Flush toilets only when necessary. This might be extreme for some, but use common sense to decide
- Invest on a flush tank that has dual flush. They use much less water to flush urine
- Try using paper towels less frequently and use the electric blower to dry your hands
- Buy toilet tissues and kitchen tissues that are made out of recycled material. If demand for this is more, eventually supply will increase, thereby helping the environment
- Buy recycled furniture rather than going for brand new products
- Use rechargeable batteries where possible
- Avoid aerosols where possible
- Change settings in your printer to print on both sides of each page
- When printing a draft, print two sheets on a page
- Most companies now use e-billing. Sign-up for such facilities and cut down on paper statements
- Carry your own recyclable bags to shop
- De-clutter your house and give unwanted things to a charity
- Invest in a electric heating fan. This works out very well if you live alone and helps you cut down on your gas bills
- If you do not need it for long, then hire it. If you seldom use your car, a cutting saw or anything else that runs on power, then think about hiring or borrowing and not buying
- Turn down the thermostat in your house. Most of us feel comfortable at 20 C and there is no need to heat the whole house to 25C
- If it is less than a mile, walk
- If it is less than 3 miles, cycle
- If you are not in a hurry, use the public transport
- Exercise more regularly. It keeps you fit and warm
- Utilise all the seats in your car - try and car pool
- Look for an electric car or a hybrid car when buying a new one. These are much more efficient for day to day use than a car that runs on fossil fuels
- Drive your car at an appropriate speed. 50mph is generally a break-even point for maximum fuel efficiency
- Change your driving style and break rev less
- Check your tyre pressure and de-clutter your car for maximum efficiency
- Cut down on the number of trips you need to make and try to merge them into a single trip
- Make a list of items to do and plan ahead
- Think if you can replace your car with a motorbike. They are much more fuel efficient and can be very useful for short distance commuting
- Longer journeys produce less Co2 emissions when using a small car or a hybrid car
- If you have a big car, then plane travel works out better on CO2 emissions (for longer journeys)
To read more articles related to personal development and well being, visit http://www.karthikrajg.com/.
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