Young Energy Managers

Environment is not only about trees and tigers; it incorporates a variety of other concerns and subjects such as air, water, food, proper management of waste, etc. In addition to all these, energy is another area which is of vital importance for us. With changing times, the demand for energy has been increasing. We have always been dependent on fossil fuels for energy – and we all know that fossil fuels are some of the biggest sources of pollution. Increasing use of fossil fuel-based energy, therefore, means more pollution.

Did you know that globally, for every unit of power consumed (measured in kiloWatt-hour or kWh), 800 gram to 1 kilogram of carbon dioxide (CO₂) gets released into the atmosphere? For example, if the monthly consumption of your household is 450 units of electricity, this can add up to 450 kg of CO₂ emissions – isn’t that a lot of carbon that you are throwing out into the environment?

Now imagine that your house is operating completely on solar energy: you would save over 5,000 kg of carbon emissions in a year! We all have a responsibility towards the environment, towards keeping it clean and pollution-free. In terms of energy, we can fulfil that responsibility by adopting renewable sources of energy.

There has been great progress in the field of renewable energy – energy derived from sun solar), wind, hydel power, etc. – in the last few decades. You may say that we have an abundance of energy, but that does not mean it can be squandered away. Proper and efficient use of energy is the need of the hour, and we cannot do so without changing our practices.

To make young environmentalists like you conscious of their energy consumption and to enlighten them about how they can make it more sustainable, the Green Schools Programme (GSP) had launched a household online audit – the GSP Audit@Home: Energy Managers – in August 2021. Students from across the country took a step towards managing their energy requirements efficiently by participating in this audit. It gave them an opportunity to assess the energy consumption in their homes and register improvements in every area.

The analysis of the Audit@Home results has shown us that many of our young friends have taken giant strides towards an energy-efficient future.

• I know how to read my electricity bill – 68 per cent
• I use energy-efficient lighting at home – 85 per cent
• I use BEE star-rated electricity prodcuts at home – 74 per cent
• I take care to switch off appliances when they are not in use – 92 per cent

The results are encouraging, but there are some areas that need more awareness. The audit also showed the following.

• I do not use any form of renewable energy – 26 per cent
• I always operate AC at 22 degrees as against the recommended 26 degrees – 20 per cent
• I always use my motor vehicle for travelling instead of walking, cycling or taking public transport – 22 per cent

The online survey gave students an opportunity to understand which energy management practices they can continue, which ones to stop and what new ones to adopt through a personalised scorecard that chalks out their green journey for them.