Energy Saving

Energy Saving:

Energy is basically a physical system’s capacity to perform work. Simply put, it is its ability to perform or finish any sort of work, whether it is a physical or mental activity. Where does energy saving come into the picture, though?

Let’s now explain “energy”. It comprises physical movements such as shifting things from one place to another, heating or lighting something. Energy is present in many forms like heat, mechanical or kinetic energy, light, potential energy, electrical and a lot of other forms.

We can describe this better with the natural examples that exist within the environment. The following actions depict a chain cycle that converts different forms of energy into heat and power:

• Heat forms when oil burns
• Because of heat, water boils
• Water gets converted into steam
• The pressure of steam moves a turbine
• Turbine helps turn an electric generator
• Generators create electricity
• Electricity powers light bulbs
• Light bulbs give us light and heat

So, we use energy in various forms in our daily lives and it’s difficult to imagine surviving without it. We even need for lighting our homes, street lighting, powering machineries and equipment in factories, cooking food, playing music and using television and many other gadgets on regular basis.

Energy Saving and Conservation

Conserving energy is the practice of reducing or saving the quantity of energy used. It can be done through using energy efficiently. This is one of the simplest ways to help the globe deal with pollution and use natural energy.

Conservation will also help in increasing the financial capital, improving the environmental results, personal security, national security and also human comfort. Both people and companies are known as direct consumers of energy and they need to conserve energy for reducing energy expenses and promoting economic security. Even the industrial and business class users would need to increase the efficiency and make the most of their benefits as well.

Energy conservation is reducing or removing unwanted energy use.

Importance of Energy Saving

Conserving energy helps to significantly reduce the climate change. It also helps  replace non-renewable resources with renewable energy. Energy conservation is the most inexpensive way out to deal with energy shortages, and it is also an environment-friendly alternative to increased energy production.

Gandhiji had once said that the earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs but not every man’s greed. This is relevant even today and here are some crucial facts on why energy conservation is important.

• We all use energy faster than it gets produced – Did you know that coal, natural gas and oil, the most utilised sources, take as many as thousands for formation.
• Resources of energy are very limited – India is house to approximately 1% of the total world’s energy resources but it consists of 16% of the world population.
• Most of the energy sources that we use cannot be reused and renewed – Non-renewable energy sources are made from 80% of the fuel use. It is believed that our energy resources may only last for roughly another 40 years.
• We can save a lot of money for the country when we save energy. Around 75 per cent of our crude oil needs are fulfilled by imports that cost about Rs.1, 50,000 crore a year.
• We also save our own money when we save energy. Imagine how much you’ll save if your LPG cylinder works for an extra week or there is a cut in your electricity bills.
• We also land up saving our energy when we save energy. For example, our fuel wood needs become lower and so does our work for its collection when we use fuel wood efficiently.
• Energy that gets saved is energy generated. So, when we save even one unit of energy, it is equal to 2 units of energy produced.
• It’s crucial to save energy for reducing pollution. Energy production and its use are responsible for a large percentage of air pollution and more than 83 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Methods to Conserve Energy

Ways to alter the things you usually use in your daily routine:

1. You can walk or ride a bicycle instead of driving a car, which contributes to roughly 60% of air pollution.
2. In our houses, you can use lights that require less energy but still continues till 10 times more than bright light bulbs.
3. We should air dry our clothes instead of using dryers for saving energy in our daily routine activities.
4. We can install a thermostat that regulates the temperature automatically.
5. Always buy energy saving appliances i.e those that reduce your monthly electricity bills.

Ways to change your habits/activities:

1. Plant trees near your window for natural air, so there’s less usage of air conditioners.
2. Try to recycle household items such as cans, newspapers and plastic water bottles. It saves energy and raw material for making the same product.
3. Wash clothes in filled loads in the washing machine and also in cold water. Use specific settings provided on washing machines, dishwashers and dryers for saving energy.

Lastly, we need to improve our housekeeping habits in order to save more energy. Some examples would be: turning off lights when not in a room or at home, closing your heating vents and doors in rooms that you’re are not using any more, clean air filters frequently in winters as well as in summers as they will work better and for a long period as well. In order to make a proper use of energy and conserve it, we all need to share and communicate these facts and information with others like your family, friends and neighbours.

There’s an old Indian saying which describes our modern-day energy crisis beautifully: The earth, water and the air are not a gift to us from our parents but a loan from our children. Hence we need to make energy conservation a habit.

So, hope you’ve learned some interesting things from this article, so don’t forget to share it with others. Until we meet again, stay tuned to Toppr.