Log In  |  My Account



subpage

 
 
 

Power Plus Blog

Energy Consumption

Jay Slough - Monday, June 28, 2010

Whenever households use energy that originates from a source that is readily available and does not impact the environment with a carbon footprint, it is called renewable energy. Unfortunately, more than 90% of the planet’s energy is derived from non renewable sources, primarily fossil fuels. We are all cognizant of the fact that we can’t continue to rely on non-renewable resources for energy consumption indefinitely. This is precisely the reason why it is imperative to shift to renewable energy sources as soon as possible.

Based on the 2007 edition of the Renewable Energy Trends in Consumption and Electricity released by theU.S. Energy Information Administration, renewable energy consumption hovered at 7 percent of the U.S. total. This figure is ominous considering the numerous incentives and legislations enacted by the government to push for renewable energy sources for energy consumption of households across the country. As residents of this great nation, we must take a good look at the way we live our daily lives, including how we use energy. There’s a multitude of advantages to using renewable energy, and it is high time  that we start to take a hard look at them.

There are several ways to get yourself off the grid and reap the benefits of electrical independence. These can be done gradually, at your preferred pace when it is affordable for you. For instance, you can harness solar energy with the use of solar panels or wind energy with the help of turbines.  Both are renewable energy sources that can be installed in your home and help you cut your electric bills while reducing you carbon footprint. Many simply have the notion that such equipments, their installation and maintenance are not practical and cost effective. However, nothing can be farther from the truth. In fact, these are the types of investments that homeowners should look into as they have the ability to pay for themselves in a short time. It is important that we begin to investigate these options, especially with the rising cost of electricity and fossil fuels.

Another option to break free from electrical dependence and reduce energy consumption is to use home automation systems. Think about it, a well designed home automation system can provide a lot of benefits and huge savings in energy consumption. Home automation comes in different forms such as lighting control systems, heating control systems, intelligent power switching, ventilation, sound and air conditioning controls. These sorts of stuff used to be exclusive to the rich and famous, but with advances in technology, automated devices and gadgets are now affordable.

A more balanced energy plan for the U.S. is long over-due and as the world’s largest economy, we have been fossil fuel fat far too long.  There is a brewing debate as to how much energy consumption our nation can reduce with the help of technology. If we focus on efficiency, a recent study claimed that we can cut on our energy consumption by as much as 35%. However, this drew the ire of the Environmental Protection Agency which said that the country can save up to 50% of its energy consumption come 2025 or earlier. Whichever is the case, the bottom line is that addressing the issue of energy usage must be a concerted effort as we must all work together, the consumer, the government and the various industries.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Jay Slough - Friday, March 19, 2010

In addition to eco-friendly measures being implemented by governments and various organizations worldwide, reducing the so called ‘carbon footprint’ has become one of the more popular ways that people can contribute to saving the planet. However, the term carbon footprint is often thrown around without a clear definition.  Carbon footprint refers to the measure of the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an individual, organization, event or product. It is generally expressed in terms of the volume of carbon dioxide or its equivalent of other GHGs emitted. Simply put, a carbon footprint is a measure of how much our day to day activities impact the environment.

Considering the fact that many sectors of society are into industrialization and modernization, it appears that reducing carbon footprint is a daunting task indeed. However, you can do something to lessen the impact of this unwanted phenomenon. There are simple steps that you can take to reduce your carbon footprint and the best place to start is within your home.

One of the biggest producers of GHG emissions is electricity. We all use electricity to  power our homes and somehow, we can’t simply drop its use because such form of energy is one of the reasons why we are comfortably living today. But you can choose to sign up with a supplier of electricity from renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric. This will reduce your carbon footprint contribution from electricity to zero. However, the concept of using renewable energy sources is not only applicable to the use of electricity. Renewable materials must be considered for building and construction purposes. The less industrial waste we give off, the lesser our carbon footprints.

When you shop for appliances, make sure that the energy rating is good. Use energy saving light bulbs that give a brighter light at a lower wattage. Turn off the lights and other electrical appliances when not in use. Turning down the setting of your central heating and water heating by just 2 degrees will contribute to significant reduction in power consumption. Set your air conditioning unit’s thermostat to 78 ˚F, most people feel comfortable at that temperature. Note that every degree you go below that setting translates to about 8% reduction to your bills. Come to think of it, it’s not the number of appliances we have but it's the way we use them that increases our electric bills.

Carpool, use public transport instead of using your car and for short distances, take a hike or ride a bicycle. Remember that if you travel less, you travel more carbon footprint friendly. Go for recycled paper and paper products, doing so will reduce the number of tress that need to be cut down. Trees are vital to the environment as they utilize the carbon dioxide we produce while giving off oxygen. As much as possible, buy organic produce and refrain from buying over packaged products and recycle as much as possible.

Always go for items that are energy efficient. These simple things can help reduce carbon footprint emissions from your homes. After all, reducing carbon footprint is just a matter of attitude.


   

Recent Posts


Tags


Archive

     
           
     
    Join us online:
    Power Plus is focused on creating long term sustainable value for residential
    and commercial customers, by providing reliable solutions for renewable energy,
    electrical grids, home automation, security, and home entertainment. 

    facebooktwitterlinkedinyoutubefeed

    Newsletter Signup