It’s not as if saving money has ever been “out” of fashion, as such, but it is certainly en vogue these days. We all hate receiving those monthly energy bills in the mail and will silently curse as we open them. Often we would make a mental note that we were going to turn off those lights when we went out of the room. Invariably though, we would forget as it didn’t seem quite so urgent for some reason. If we fast forward to today, we seem to be living in a different world. Now we are looking for a whole array of different ways to save electricity, as we realise just how pressing this need is.
Once the domain only of environmentalists and tree huggers, we now all know how important it is to cut back on our energy use, so that we do not emit carbon dioxide and damage the planet. We hear all kinds of reports on the news about how global warming is changing polar ice packs and that people in far-off countries are in danger of losing their ability to feed themselves, due to climate changes and weather pattern alterations. On our own doorstep we hear about companies, which will soon be penalised for failing to reduce their energy use and for emitting carbon, fairly sure that the consequence of these actions will result in additional costs for us to deal with.
Quite apart from the holistic considerations and our concern for Mother Nature, energy costs themselves have been going through the roof. Government attempts to regulate the industry have not been very successful and the whole infrastructure seems to be creaking and groaning under the strain. How much longer will the system be able to put up with spikes in energy use, as we rely on those old fossil fuels to provide the raw material? You don’t have to be a scientist to understand the benefits of renewable energy, but nevertheless, we still seem hesitant to move forward and do something about it. Just think of the extraordinary ways in which we would be helping the environment if we were able to turn to wind, solar and other renewable sources for the majority of our energy.
Focusing close to home, what can we do to help the environment and ourselves at the same time? There are many things. For a start, we should always purchase highly efficient equipment for our kitchens and for our heating and air-conditioning needs. Look for a refrigerator, for example, that consumes around 100 KwH per year and you will be in possession of an appliance that is four times more efficient than the European Union average. You may have to spend about five or maybe 10% more to actually buy the machine, but just think about how much energy you could save and how it would help to reduce your electricity bill. These appliances may last for 4 to 5 years and the additional amount you pay to buy them up front will definitely be saved in the long run. New appliances will need less repairing and you will do yourself a favour as well by eliminating the noise coming from that old and worn fan, which seems to circulate annoyingly whenever you sit down in your most comfortable chair to watch a film!
