ENERGY CONSERVATION

Bikash Choudhury

Energy bill for my apartment was received as usual in the third week of the month, one look at the amount made me scream at the small document; as the amount stands at Seven Hundred and Fifty which seemed atrocious for two persons living in a two bed room apartment. Immediately, sat down with my live in partner (wife of twelve years) to investigate where all our energy consumption is wasteful and that needs pruning. Eventually, we zeroedin on the ‘Idiot Box’ of our home which used to run for 10 hrs on daily basis with 2 fans and 2 tube lights as permanent fixture that bolstered our energy bill. After, a long discussion we signed an ‘MOU’ between us to use the television for 4 hours, 2 hrs each and deploy a CFL lamp of 5 watt during televising. That should prune our energy outgo by 20% if not more. I wish to appeal to the readers also to take a look at the energy bill of their homes and organization with a tooth comb in the interest of their wallets; as much for the cause of reducing the ‘carbon foot print’ as the reduction of our energy consumption for person would substantially reduce the carbon foot print of our State and Country; apart from reducing the pressure on Govt. to invest in energy production and also saving the green cover to that extent by reducing the demand for coal, which is now the main source of energy. The demand side management of energy has growing importance in our society at present as the change in life styles of middle/rich class has put heavy demand on per-capita energy consumption both in homes and offices. It is imperative for Govt. both at Centre and States to come together along with NGO, Civil Society Activist to mobilize School and College students to create awareness on the need of ‘energy conservation’ and monitoring on a planned and sustainable basis to control the per-capita energy consumption. Hope, the readers would think about it?