Final Comment for the day before I get to work

Someone asked me for suggestions as to what we can do now to make our office more energy efficient. So I thought about it and decided to post a couple of suggestions.

Before we start...the key to reducing energy use is to be conscious of your decisions.This is a process, a huge behavioral change for many of us and feel free to do this incrementally as opposed to all at once.

First...your laptop has a battery. Use it. Charge your laptop to 100%, let it run down and then recharge it. Repeat as necessary. As an added benefit, most people say that this will increase the life of the battery thus keeping it out of landfills.

Two...Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Yes the dark is scary, but there is a saying in the world of energy efficiency. Fluorescent, CFLs, LEDs, light dimmers are all good alternatives...efficient alternatives...but the most efficient light bulb is one that is turned off. And when choosing new bulbs remember that Flourescent Tube lights and CFLs have mercury in them...mercury is bad...if possible use LEDs.

Three...we are approaching the hot and miserable season here in Chennai. Air conditioning is essential to our ability to work...but let's determine a comfortable temperature. Some of the offices are equipped with new air-conditioners. Many of these air-conditioners have timers and adjustable temperature controls. A good rule of thumb might be 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off...21-22 degrees might be a good choice as to the temperature of our offices...use fans to circulate the air in the offices (strategically place some floor fans in the corners of the room and point them upward. This will facilitate the movement of air and lower the need for air-conditioner use). But most importantly turn off the ACs when you leave if you are the last one in the office.

Four...turn-off all desktops when not in use and when you go home for the day. Turn off all power strips when you leave at night and turn-off the little switches next to the outlets when you leave (most have lights next to them which glow all night...every little bit helps).

Five...be conscious of your decisions to use energy...walk when you can, take an LPG Rickshaw instead of the first one available (they are the ones with the green stripe around them)...

Also, lobby for some solar panels at the new office. Consider installing LED lighting at the new office. Change your light bulbs at home to LED or CFL, and if you hate them so much you can't tolerate them, install dimmer switches on all your lights. Think about trying to talk your landlord if you rent or yourself if you own into installing some passive solar techniques on your house and building (awnings on south facing windows, translucent fabric for curtains on your other windows which do not get direct light). There are a myriad of options to reduce energy use...go to Wiki and type in Energy Efficiency. Look at the list and see what you are comfortable with...and implement those first. 

Advanced techniques...

Home solar lighting systems (4000 Rs with one light...more as you add more lights...unforetunately this is really only appropriate for one of two rooms a system and the more lights you install the more solar panels you need.

Solar hot water heaters (16,000 Rs but there is (was?) a subsidy in Tamil Nadu and soft loans offered by many banks)...use especially in the Kitchen...starting with hot water will save you about half the amount of cooking gas need to cook rice, pasta, tea, etc.