In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.”

While the rapid onset of urbanisation is indeed making things worse, in all fairness, it is our greed that’s causing the reckless misutilisation of energy resources. That said, it still isn’t too late to change our habits and work together to make Sustainable Energy a reality. Only then can we save enough resources for our future generations.

What is Energy Conservation?
Energy conservation refers to the reduction of energy consumption through lesser usage of an energy service. It differs from efficient energy use, which refers to using less energy for a constant service.
Whenever we save energy, we not only save money, but also help reduce the demand for fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. As a result, we also achieve lower emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary contributor to global warming, and other pollutants.

How can we help in Energy Conservation?
By simply limiting our use of energy, we can do wonders for both energy conservation and environment preservation. To contribute positively towards the cause, we must keep a few things in mind:

1. Start with yourself
Energy conservation isn’t rocket science. Anyone can partake by doing as follows:

– Turn off lights when not in use.
– Use compact fluorescent bulbs that use up to 75% less energy.
– When buying energy efficient appliances, look for ENERGY STAR® labels.
– Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones.
– Insulate your roof. It is the most practical and cost effective way to make a house more energy efficient, and it lasts for as long as 40 years.

2. Adopt Alternate resources
To implement proper savings, shift to renewable sources of energy that cause no harm to the environment.

➔ Solar Energy
➔ Hydroelectric Energy
➔ Wind Energy
➔ Biomass Energy
➔ Geothermal Energy
➔ Tidal Power

3. Innovate
For many centuries, we’ve been relying on electricity and water resources for our daily use. To preserve these dying resources, we can innovate energy on our own.

One real life example of such innovation is the story of Arun and Anoop George from Kerala, two brothers who created their own wind turbine that could generate enough electricity to power a house on a daily basis.

4. Study Government Schemes
The government of India has also brought up various schemes for the conservation of energy.

The Energy
Conservation Act (EC Act) was enacted in 2001 with the goal of reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy. To facilitate the implementation of the EC Act, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) provides regulatory mandates for:
● Standards and labeling of equipment and appliances.
● Energy conservation building codes for commercial buildings.
● Energy consumption norms for energy intensive industries.

5. Promote Energy efficiency
For the sake of our environment, we must promote energy efficiency and raise awareness amongst people around us.

6. Reduce, Recycle, Reuse
Last, but certainly not the least, never forget the 3 Rs — Reduce, Recycle and Reuse. The more you save, the more it will benefit you and the earth you live on.