Importance and Benefits of Energy Conservation

Importance and Benefits of Energy Conservation Energy is defined as the capacity of a physical system to perform work. In other words, It can be explained as the ability to perform or complete any type of work whether it is physical or mental activity. We can also explain â€Å"energy† which includes physical movements like shifting something from one place to another, warming something or lighting something. Energy exists in numerous forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, potential energy, electrical or many other forms. It can be better described by giving the below mentioned natural example of environment, it shows a chain cycle of converting different forms of energy into heat and power: Oil burns to make heat Heat boils water Water turns to steam Steam pressure turns a turbine Turbine turns an electric generator Generator produces electricity Electricity powers light bulbs Light bulbs give off light and heat We utilize energy in different forms in our daily routine life and cannot think even about to survive without it. We use energy to light our homes and for street lighting as well, to be able to power machineries and equipments in factories, helps to cook our food, for playing music and operating televisions and many more every day regular uses. Energy Conservation: It is the practice of reducing the quantity of energy used. It may be attained through efficient energy use; in this case, energy use is decreased at the same time getting a same outcome as a result, or by reduced consumption of energy services. It is one of the easiest processes to help the globe by means of pollution in addition to make use of natural energy. It may result in increase of financial capital, better environmental results, national security, personal security and human comfort. Individuals and companies are called as direct consumers of energy may need to conserve energy so as to reduce energy expenses and promote economic security. Industrial and business class users may want to increase the efficiency and as a result, it maximizes their benefits as well. Energy conservation is the reduction or removal of unnecessary or unwanted energy use. Importance Of Energy Conservation: Energy conservation plays a significant role of lessening climate change. It helps the replacement of non-renewable resources with renewable energy. Energy conservation is often the most inexpensive solution to energy shortages, and it is more environmentally kind alternative to increased energy production. Since, we have limited quantity of non-renewable energy resources available on earth, it is very important to preserve energy from our current supply or to utilize renewable resources so that it is also available to our future generations. Energy conservation plays a very important role because utilization of non-renewable resources also impacts our environment. Specially, usage of fossil fuels supplies to air and water pollution such as carbon dioxide is produced when oil, coal and gas combust in power stations, heating systems, and engines of car. As we all aware of that carbon dioxide works as a transparent layer in the atmosphere that is part of the cause to the global warming of the earth, or we can also name it as greenhouse effect. Global warming has its own consequences in our atmosphere. It has its deadly effects like spreading of different diseases, warmer waters and more chances of hurricanes, financial costs, polar ice melting, increased chances and intensity of heat waves. Ozone depletion is the reduction of the protection layer of ozone in the uppermost atmosphere by chemical pollution. Ozone layer is the protection line between earth and the ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun. People who have more exposure to UV radiation can have some health problems like DNA damage, skin cancer, aging and other problems related to skin. There could be some possible issues that include a danger to human body health, impact on environment like rising sea levels, and major changes in vegetation growth methods. When coal is burned, it realises sulphur dioxide into the air and therefore, it reacts with water and oxygen in the clouds and forms acid rain. Acid rain kills fish and trees and also damage limestone buildings and statutes. These types of global problems can be resolved. As per the data of United States calculated per year, we found that the average familys energy uses produces over 11,200 pounds of air pollutants. Therefore, every unit of kilowatt of electricity preserved diminishes the natural environment impact of energy use. There are some facts which considerably decrease the utility bills of a family. Following are some points covered in Pollution Prevention (P2) concepts which help you to control energy use and methods to conserve energy:- Altering what you normally use in your daily routine: You should walk or ride a bicycle instead of driving a car and as a result, it emits to roughly 60% of air pollution. At our homes, you should use lights which consume less energy and continue till 10 times more than bright light bulbs. For saving energy in normal daily routine activities like we should air dry our clothes rather than using dryers. We should fit a thermostat which regulates the temperature automatically. Search for that energy appliances which reduce your monthly electricity bills. Changing your activities you do in your everyday practice: You should plant trees close to your window for natural air, so there will be less usage of air conditioners. Recycle items used in household activities such as cans, plastic water bottles, and newspapers. It saves energy and raw material for making the same product. Wash down clothes in filled loads in washing machine and in cold water. Use settings on washing machines, dryers and dishwashers for saving energy. Set the room temperature in thermostat up to 65O F when you are at home and decrease the temperature to 55O F, when you are going to sleep. Lastly, you should improve your housekeeping habits in such a way that saves more energy like turning off lights when you are not present in room or not at home, close your heating vents and doors in rooms which are not utilizing any more, clean your air filters regularly in winters as well as in summers, it will work more powerfully and for long period as well. For making a proper use of energy and conserving it, you should share and communicate these facts and information with others in your family, friends and neighbours. There are many other activities which help people to do with conserving or saving energy. For example, we can take the example of a light bulb we use for lighting our homes; we could also recycle it and can utilize solar energy instead of using electricity during the day. Conserving energy is very important for the reasons that we use most of the energy resources are non-renewable. So as to make proper utilization of these resources, we require finding to begin our search for natural resources. We should use wind power, solar power energy, hydroelectricity, and bio-fuels and as a result that will make our environment healthier and better. (United States Environmental Protection Agency, August 1997) As far as the question of living and non-living factors are concerned, the non living factors like sunlight, temperature, rainfall, water and soil. Both the sunlight and the temperature contribute to the energy consumption. If we could use the sunlight in place of light switches in the home as well as we can open the windows instead of running the air conditioners that can also cuts out a tremendous amount of electricity that we can utilize later on. In case of water, instead of making use of non-renewable source of energy to recycle the used water or overflow, the plants can be way out to using solar powered and wind powered energy instead. For the soil, option to men farming by hand rather than machines. If we would grow our own gardens at home instead of running to the vegetable store for tomatoes or other vegetables, we have many natural resources available to make use of, so that we become always be active and not lazy. As far as it is related to living factors, which also contributes to energy consumption are animals like herbivores, carnivores and omnivores; human beings and marine life. In above all, only human beings are the main contributors. We are using the natural energy available to us and also sometimes damage the environment to some extent. (Basics of Energy Efficient Living: A Beginners Guide to Alternative Energy and Home Energy Savings by Lonnie Wibberding, 2006) Sustainability is a planned method focused by a good business judgement to decrease operating cost and to increase ROI (return on investment). A sustainability strategy is also motivated by an increased customers expectation for â€Å"green† suppliers and enterprise risk management. I have developed some under mentioned sustainability strategies and their solutions that will educate and illustrate the members of our society:- Sustainability Goals: Social Goals Ecological Goals Social Goals: Improve human health and safety: It is designed to develop and put into practice a structure for health which will ultimately enhance personal and organizational health and well-being as well as improve safety and security. Following action plans should be taken into consideration:- Set up measurements and situate targets for promoting health and wellness. Expand and apply an early interference program to support the improvement and go back to work Settle on efficiency of active tools Promote new software and data collection systems Increase current programs and journal articles that support health Ecological Goals: Reduce pollution Conserve resources Reduce pollution: It reduces greenhouse gas releases and develop air quality. It also reduces all forms of water and gets better waste removal procedures. It also make better storm water quality Following under mentioned points should be taken into concerned:- Buy BC Hydrogen green energy certificates Build up a transportation graph to maintain annual average automobile traffic campus Support the purchase of local products or commodities whenever possible To extend new programmes to instruct the society concerning the significance of waste management Create clear principle for waste management and utilize of recycled materials Enlarge programs to decrease the amount of dangerous waste generated Conserve Resources: It diminishes non-renewable energy consumption and reduces water consumption and use of paper. Discover the usage of renewable sources of energy like hydrogen power, micro hydro, ground resources heat pumps, and incorporated photovoltaic knowledge To make sure new building designs, both residential and institutional, think about future change to alternate energy sources To plan new buildings to decrease the usage of water Diminish irrigation requires during landscape plan, and other programmes planned to conserve water To grow and execute campus-wide procedure for exchanging from paper to paper on-line communications for mainly inner operations To increase alternatives for purchasing paper with recycled content (The Sustainability Strategy, May, 2006) We are facing some problems related to power shortage because everyone cannot afford the electricity bills. So, we should plan to do some point urgently to get out of this wasteful style affecting all sectors in our economy. The under mentioned energy conservation measures have been taken by the government to solve our energy problems:- Installation of efficient power plants: For planning efficiency, we should bring havoc in terms of economic issues and environmental pollution. We can find that combined cycle power plant is being installed with inlet cooling to make sure the power plant can function at peak efficiency and peak capacity in summers. Power generation in industrial and commercial sectors is also a source of immense waste. To encourage high efficiency, special incentives should be offered to industries and commercial complexes to encourage efficient utilization. Also, high efficiency installations should be provided gas on a year round basis where load shedding is followed in winter. Efficient steam or hot water production: There are many companies even now operating boilers by making use of our costly gas. All these steam/hot water needs can be effectively formed which means with the similar gas consumption we can produce hundreds of megawatt of power and as a result can meet altogether the steam/hot water requirements. Efficient central air-conditioning:- The government sanctioned many companies to install centralised air-conditioning without making sure of economical utilization. Time is passing out and proper steps should be planned for reasonable power as soon as possible. (Paper Articles on Urgent energy conservation steps needed, January, 2009) References United States Environmental Protection Agency. (August 1997). Energy conservation pollution prevention (P2). Lonnie Wibberding. (2006). Basics of Energy Efficient Living: A Beginners Guide to Alternative Energy and Home Energy Savings . Inspirations and Aspirations: The Sustainability Strategy. (May, 2006). Paper articles on Urgent energy conservation steps needed. (January, 2009).