Pollution
Pollution
Pollution
Whatcanyoudotosavepower?
The increasing popularity of global energy-saving initiatives like Earth Hour shows
us that, not only is there an overwhelming need for us all to conserve energy and
start to preserve natural resources, there's also a great deal of interest around the
world in finding out the best ways to save power on an individual level.
We've looked into the issue to help Malaysian households reduce their energy
consumption, enabling you to save money and start having a positive impact on the
global environment.
1.Appliances
Unplug your appliances when they're not in use
Your TV, computer, microwave and even some washing machines have a
'standby' mode, which means they're still using energy even when they're not in use.
Buy appliances with a good energy rating
The more stars, the better but think about size first. Often it's easier for a larger
model to be more efficient (and therefore have more stars) than a smaller one.
However, since it is bigger, its overall energy consumption is usually higher.
Choose an energy-efficient fridge
Your fridge/freezer is working non-stop and the energy it consumes adds up quickly.
Look for a model that uses a hydrocarbon, such as butane or pentane, as the
refrigerant and/or blowing agent for the insulation foam. All fridges on the market are
CFC-free, so don't base you purchase decision on "CFC free" labels.
2.Heatingandcooling
Turn on the air conditioner early
If you have an air conditioner, try to use it only on really hot or humid days, and if
you expect a hot day, pre-empt the heat rather than waiting until your home is
already hot. (Similarly, start heating early when expecting a cold day.)
Look for programmable timer and thermostat controls. Set your air conditioner at the
highest temperature setting at which you still feel cool enough; 25C is usually
adequate. Each 1C increase of the thermostat setting will save about 10% on your
energy usage.
Install ceiling fans
Ceiling fans are much cheaper than air conditioning and have less impact
environmentally.
3.Transport
Even if you have a fuel-efficient car, whenever possible it's a good idea to leave it
at home and walk, cycle, catch public transport or car pool.
Rainwater
Collected rainwater is ideal for watering your garden. Contact your water authority
and local council for advice on how to install and maintain a rainwater tank.
Buy a water-efficient showerhead
These are great water-saving devices for daily use. However, if you have an
instantaneous hot-water system, the flow rate of a low-flow shower head may not
be enough to start it. Check with your installer. If you have a gravity-fed water
system (the water flows from your tank to your taps without being pumped), make
sure you buy a shower head that's designed to cope with low pressure.
5.Greenpower
The average household emits around 14 tonnes of greenhouse gases every year, half
of which is from electricity generation. This contributes to climate change and global
warming.
One simple and relatively cheap way that we can all start to make a difference is by
switching our electricity to "green" power. This means using power generated from
clean renewable sources such as the sun, wind, water and waste power, rather than
coal