BHUVANA GREENS: January 2011

As we step out of our homes, we will probably step over a plastic bag, see tin cans, and plastic bags littered around the corner of our streets, cross a drain covering our noses thanks to the stinking clogged drain. We will grumble upon the municipality not doing its “job “ properly, neighbors dumping garbage in the locality or restaurant and paying guest owners for the litter. To add to the woes, thanks to the wasted food in the plastic bags thrown all around, you will have to ward of stray dogs too, and save yourself from getting run off by a vehicle thanks to the already narrowed street.

Do we ever realize that we are a part of this cycle and actively contributing to shaping the environment around us? So what we get is what we give. An average Indian consumes around 3 kg of plastic annually, in comparison to 80 kgs of plastic consumed by an average European. Even though the difference is stark, thanks to our disposing habits, the scene is still alarming.

If we keep a tag on our personal use of plastics, the rampant use of plastics will definitely come down. Small measures make a big, big difference. We can start with carrying a water bottle with us when stepping out of home, so that we avoid the purchase of bottled water. Carrying a basket for all the shopping needs, rules out packing all the items in shopping bags. Having an ice cream in a cone instead of cups, these little measures can make our planet much litter free.

We, Indians, take pride in our ability to point fingers at everyone else. Little do we realize that even in this case, the litter doesn’t come from aliens. Let’s do our bit. To make our homes and society a better place. ;)

The Domestic Sector accounts for 30% of total energy consumption in the country. There is a tremendous scope to conserve energy by adopting simple measures.

Some Useful Tips to Save Energy

Lighting

Turn off the lights when not in use.
Take advantage of daylight by using light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to penetrate the room.
Also, decorate with lighter colors that reflect daylight.
De-dust lighting fixtures to maintain illumination.
Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it.
Compact fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and provide the same lighting.
Use electronic chokes in place of conventional copper chokes.

Fans

Replace conventional regulators with electronic regulators for ceiling fans.
Install exhaust fans at a higher elevation than ceiling fans.

Electric Iron

Select iron boxes with automatic temperature cut-off.
Use appropriate regulator position for ironing.
Do not put more water on clothes while ironing.
Do not iron wet clothes.

Kitchen Appliances

Mixers

Avoid dry grinding in your food processors (mixers and grinders) as it
takes longer time than liquid grinding.

Microwaves Ovens

Consumes 50 % less energy than conventional electric/gas stoves.
Do not bake large food items.
Unless you’re baking breads or pastries, you may not even need to pre-heat.
Don’t open the oven door too often to check food condition as each opening leads to a temperature drop of 25 degrees.

Energy Savings in Home Appliances

Electric Stove
Turn off electric stoves several minutes before the specified cooking time.
Use flat-bottomed pans that make full contact with the cooking coil.

Gas Stove

When cooking on a gas burner, use moderate flame settings to conserve LPG.
Remember that a blue flame means your gas stove is operating efficiently.
Yellowish flame is an indicator that the burner needs cleaning.
Use pressure cookers as much as possible.
Use lids to cover the pans while cooking.
Bring items taken out of refrigerators (like vegetables, milk etc) to room temperature before placing on the gas stove for heating.
Use Solar Water Heater – a good replacement for a electric water heater.

Electronic devices

Do not switch on the power when TV and Audio Systems are not in use i.e, idle operation leads to an energy loss of 10 watts/device.

Refrigerator

Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers; frost buildup increases the amount of energy needed to keep the motor running.
Leave enough space between your refrigerator and the walls so that air can easily circulate around the refrigerator.
Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold.
Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight.
Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
Do not open the doors of the refrigerators frequently.
Don’t leave the fridge door open for longer than necessary, as cold air will escape.
Use smaller cabinets for storing frequently used items.
Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge.

Energy Savings in Home Appliances

Washing Machines

Always wash only with full loads.
Use optimal quantity of water.
Use timer facility to save energy.
Use the correct amount of detergent.
Use hot water only for very dirty clothes.
Always use cold water in the rinse cycle.
Prefer natural drying over electric dryers.

Air Conditioners

Prefer air conditioners having automatic temperature cut off.
Keep regulators at “low cool” position.
Operate the ceiling fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively throughout the room and operate the air conditioner at higher temperature.
Seal the doors and windows properly.
Leave enough space between your air conditioner and the walls to allow better air circulation.
A roof garden can reduce the load on Air Conditioner.
Use windows with sun films/curtains.
Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower will be energy consumption.
Don’t set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling.
Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
Plant trees or shrubs to shade air-conditioning units but not to block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.