Our society constantly needs to generate energy for its activities. Houses are illuminated and heated with energy; we cook, work, travel and even entertain ourselves consuming energy. To maintain our electricity system, we need to consume fossil fuels and this generates more CO₂ which is given off into the atmosphere and that is exactly what we need to reduce, the volume of carbon that we emit.
How can each of us save energy?
- Switch off lights at home that you don’t need.
- Use energy-saving light bulbs. By doing this you reduce electricity consumption by 75% compared with incandescent light bulbs.
- The fridge is responsible for approximately 25% of our electricity consumption, which is why it is important to have an energy-efficient one. Another fact: 3mm of frost in the fridge means a 30% increase in energy consumption this is why it is important to purchase an appliance with automatic defrosting.
- Have appliances which are A++.
- Try to dry clothes outdoors, using zero energy consumption and consequently it stays in better condition longer.
- 60% of the average household consumption is for heating. By lowering the temperature only one degree 7% is saved in the household bill. Insulating the house well is another way to save energy, double-glazed windows, not leaving doors open, assessing insulation materials or the orientation of the house if building a new one.
- Don’t leave appliances on standby: unplug your computer, TV or mobile, by doing that you save up to 10%.
Facts and figures:
- In Europe the industrial and electricity sector is responsible for 48% of these emissions.
- Transport generates another 21%.
- Agriculture 10%
- Houses and small businesses 17%
If we note that households consume 30% of electricity generated and that half the fuel consumption in transport comes from private cars, we can see two areas to act on.
