By: Andrés Benavente
It doesn’t matter what your age is, nor your civil status,
social
standing, nationality or race.
If you are a human being and your feet
move daily along the surface of planet Earth, then this topic truly concerns you.
No one likes to hear it and it has taken decades to believe it, but the equilibrium of our fantastic planet is truly at risk and we, the people, are the direct cause of it. The accumulated Co2 in our atmosphere threatens us with climatic changes, an increase of ocean levels and changes in oceanic currents, among other global consequences.
In other words, the future of the planet that we will hand over to our children and grandchildren is quite uncertain today.
The good news is that WE are the chief cause of the problem.
We say that this is the good news because that means that if we caused the problem, then we can fix it.
It would be much worse if the sources of this Co2 were huge, out-of-control volcanoes; the solution would be considerably more difficult.
One way to help is to save energy
This is just the starting point. A large portion of the Co2 stuck in our atmosphere is there as a result of the fossil fuels we have burned to produce energy for the needs of more than 7000 million people over the last 50 years.
Oil and coal are made up of tremendous amounts of carbon trapped underground. When this carbon is extracted from the subsoil and sent in a gaseous state (Co2) to the atmosphere, we are adding a large amount of additional carbon that had not previously been in the equation for the equilibrium of the Earth. As a consequence, nowadays things are not all operating in harmony. It’s imperative to reduce the gaseous carbon in our atmosphere and it must be done right now!
The ideal and most viable solution would be the immediate mass production of renewable energy alternatives and non-contaminants that allow us to reduce the need to burn hydrocarbons. If we had started to do this at the time we found out about the risk (almost 30 years ago), today we would not be in the midst of this emergency. In the future, it will be commonplace to have solar panels in each house, wind turbines in all neighborhoods, and magnetic, electric or hydrogen propelled cars. However, until these solutions are mass produced, it is up to us to make adjustments to our daily habits; changes to the ways we use energy today. The basic objective is to achieve a higher level of energy efficiency. In other words, to get maximum use with minimum waste.
The solution is in our hands and above all, on our conscience.
Why and... How?
Besides the environmental reasons to save energy, there are also economic incentives to do so. Hydrocarbons are being depleted. As a result, this resource will become increasingly scarce and therefore, progressively more expensive.
These are all reasons to save energy and move promptly towards renewable sources such as solar, biomass or wind energy. This is a way to ensure the future of our planet as well as to assist our family and country with short and long term finances.
We have prepared this brief but practical guide with 20 suggestions applicable to our day-to-day life to help us in the search of increased energy efficiency so that all of us can begin to contribute our grain of sand.
At home:
1) There are appliances that consume energy merely by being plugged in, even when not in use! Such is the case with phone chargers, computers on sleep mode, television sets, sound equipment, and other remote controlled equipment which are consuming up to a third of the energy required when turned on- even when turned off, just by being plugged in. So unplug them when they are not in use.
2) Don’t burn your garden trash. Leaves actually decompose quickly and in the process, return the carbon to the ground. However if we burn them, we send that carbon directly to the atmosphere.
3) Whenever possible take advantage of the sunlight, which is free and non-polluting. It is better to open the curtains than to turn on the light. We should use more efficient light bulbs, especially for the lights that we keep on for long periods of time.
4) Evaporative air conditioning units consume much less energy than those that run on a compressor. Additionally, evaporative units are free from gasses poisonous to our atmosphere. The best location to place an air conditioning unit is on the shaded side of the house. Insulate your house, so that the air conditioning system is more efficient. Seal the ceiling, doors and windows properly.
5) After the air conditioner, the refrigerator consumes the most energy in the home, followed by the television and the washing machine. Adjust the thermostat in the refrigerator to keep the temperature at 43º F and the freezer at 7ºF. It is very important to allow for ventilation in the back of the refrigerator. If it is too close to the wall, it consumes up to 20% more energy.
6) Cover pots and pans while cooking, use burners appropriate to the size of the pots and keep the heat to a minimum once it starts boiling.
7) Wash clothes in cold water. About 90% of the energy used in the washing goes towards heating the water.
8) It is ideal to hang clothes to dry outside. Though dryers save us time, they use a large amount of energy.
9) Don’t leave lights or equipment on in empty rooms. If you use ornamental lights for large periods of time be sure they are low energy lights.
 10) If you place solar water heating panels on the roof, in only 3 years you will save enough energy to recover your investment in the panels. Water heating represents 13% of the energy bill for an average home.
11) Teach everyone at home the value of saving energy and the different ways to do it.
When shopping:
12) Choose low energy consumption appliances.
13) Select products that come from places near your locality as this reduces pollution caused through transportation.
14) Production of new materials requires considerable amounts of energy. Therefore, separating and recycling waste products leads to significant energy savings and also to savings on new resource extractions.
15) Say no to products with excess packing or of non-recyclable materials.
In transportation:
Vehicular traffic is the major source of contamination in large cities and one of the major producers of Co2. For these reasons:
16) Maintain your car in optimal condition. Check tire pressure, the condition of the air filter, the spark plugs and in particular the carburation of the motor.
17) When driving, maintain a uniform speed as much as possible. If you can prevent frequent braking, accelerating and gear shifting, you can save up to 15% of your fuel and reduce your vehicle maintenance costs. You get much better mileage and motor wear at 50mph than at 65 mph.
18) Most people use their car primarily to go to and from work. You can help by promoting car sharing as much as possible. Four people per automobile is four times better than four automobiles with one person in each.
19) When buying a car, choose one that adjusts to your real needs and make gas mileage an important consideration in your purchasing decision.
20) If you don’t need to go very far from home, ride a bicycle or walk, both of which are better for your health.
Cars that don't pollute.
An intelligent decision is to convert your vehicle to use liquid gas. The system functions perfectly, the motor stays cleaner and the investment in the converter pays for itself from the savings in fuel and in the maintenance of the motor. It also adds extra resale value to the car. The best part of all, the car stops being an environmental problem, as it will discharge zero pollution.
 Efergy
Efergy It’s a wireless smart electricity meter that tells you instantaneously how much energy your house is using. The monitor provides reading on energy consumption, costs and CO2 emissions. Available online.
Magno Fuel
Those
magnets have been tested to give fuel savings of up to 15%. It provides
better combustion and more power from your engine while reducing
pollution. Thanks to this tool, more oxygen molecules will be embedded
between the fuel molecules, ensuring better combustion. Available
online.
 Solar Monkey
Is a solar charger compatible with the majority of standard mobile phones and hand held devices. Available online
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