I could not take part... as I was working... no point if u ask me anyway !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well I don't think the point is necessarily to just turn off the lights for one hour, then turn everything back on. I think the point is more to point out how much electricity we use/waste per day, and to encourage people to take steps to be more energy efficient.

 

And also, I don't think power surges are anything to worry about at all for a few reasons.

• not everybody is participating
  
• when 9 pm rolls around everybody won't suddenly be turning all their lights, tvs, computers, etc back on
  
• between 8 and 9 aren't peak energy hours in the first place, so the power grid would be able to handle the situation.

If they want to save energy, try getting businesses to turn off lights in the offices in the evenings and at weekends.

Well it's 5 to 1 now, so I better start turning stuff off.

Twinkle Twinkle ..

 

Has anyone taken a look at the Earth from Space view at night recently? The "modern" areas of the world look like a super-bright camera flash going constantly.. It makes one wonder if a few home lights will have much impact, though I suppose it would be a percentage of the total...

Most of the electricity is wasted in conversion and transmission of the power from the plant to the place of use. I recall something like 80-90% is lost, but that includes thermal efficiency in the turbines, combustion, etc. Home lighting is a significant part of the home use, but my motto is the Energy Fair motto: "We want Cold Beer and Warm Pizza!":P Save the austerity for the puritans.

So, rather than turning off all the lights left on in the home (which helps for awareness, but on a practical level is not easily made routine, and can cause one to stub thy toe in the dark..), maybe switch to all compact fluorescents or LED lights, and install a few sun tubes/ skylights where practical. Best compromise I've found is to leave a few low-low wattage compact fluorescents on in the table lamps, and then the home is still pleasant when you're tucked away in some room, cellar, or secret undisclosed location.;)

But the biggest electricity gobblers are typically the heating and cooling system(s), and the refrigerators and freezers. Strange but true - insulation does save electricity! Less times the furnace or air-conditioner kicks on, the less electricity used.. And getting high-efficiency freezers and refrigerators is worth it - just unplugging one that's seldom used (the beer fridge, for instance), saved me $11 / month alone on the utility bill! (I was out of beer for the season..)

Incidentally, the blackout we had a year or two ago - the one that left half the US in the dark for quite a while - that was caused by a squirrel.:laugh3: (well, a squirrel, and little money put into upgrades of the system..) A Part of Canada was affected too, as I recall..

Anyhow, just grist for the mill..

If they want to save energy, try getting businesses to turn off lights in the offices in the evenings and at weekends.

and the computers... most people in our office leave them on overnight because they run so slow they waste half an hour booting them up in the mornings

 

Energy saving lights bulbs are also good, every single one I bought a few years ago is still running perfectly.

and the computers... most people in our office leave them on overnight because they run so slow they waste half an hour booting them up in the mornings

 

I've noticed this carpet cleaning. Its think "WFT, turn your stuff off when you go home!"

and the computers... most people in our office leave them on overnight because they run so slow they waste half an hour booting them up in the mornings

 

Energy saving lights bulbs are also good, every single one I bought a few years ago is still running perfectly.

 

I turn both my computers off on Fridays. :smug:

What about other days?

Someone comes in after me to use them for mess bar stuff.

 

But not on Fridays as all the military people fuck off home early :(

Where the electrons go..

 

Here's a typical breakdown of electric loads in a home here in the US:

 

Household Loads, Hampel Family:

-------------------------------------

Item | KWH/Month | % of Total |

==================================

2 Refrigerators | 225 | 37.8% |

Dehumidifier | 90 | 15.1% |

Air Conditioner | 82 | 13.8% |

Lighting | 75 | 12.6% |

Furnace Blower | 63 | 10.6% |

Washer | 10 | 1.7% |

Gas Dryer (spins) | 10 | 1.7% |

Computer | 10 | 1.7% |

Television | 9 | 1.5% |

Well Pump | 8 | 1.3% |

Microwave | 5 | 0.8% |

DVD Recorder | 4 | 0.7% |

Toaster | 2 | 0.3% |

Vacuum Cleaner | 2 | 0.3% |

=====================================

TOTAL : | 595 KWH / Month.

 

So while lighting is significant, the biggest piece of the pie is in the fridge' ;). Heating and cooling systems are generally second, and then comes lighting. But, using compact fluorescents should lower this figure a bit more, and getting more daylighting helps as well (sun tubes, new weather-tight skylights, windows, etc.).

I've trimmed my loads to about 215 KWH/month, and I use plenty of lighting, plus a shop building! So, it's more about better choices in appliances and insulation, using natural light, and switching to more efficient lights.

Fridges are the killer. A big problem with fridges too is even after people buy a new more energy efficient fridge, they often keep the old one in the basement or something as a "beer fridge" so in the end people end up using more electricity then before.

 

Here on the East Coast of Canada, air conditioning isn't really necessary :P

How true.. It's hard to part with something that still runs, and unfortunately those old beasts, while still functional, are energy hogs. We used to do just that - the old 'streamlined' fridge from the 40's or 50's went in the car port, and ran pretty much all the time.. Making the beer around $5.00 a can, when you add the cost of electricity!:o Hamms was never worth that much!:laugh3:

Yea, I hear ya there. It snowed yesterday here as well. In the olden days, there was an ice-house on the farm - blocks of ice from the lake, packed in sawdust.. And that kept things cool until late August! (according to my Aunt..)

So, there's the solution - just freeze a big block of water in winter, and insulate it well.. :P

Haha now that would be funny, dedicate one room of the house to a well insulated ice block.

It would be cool..:cool: (and remember a floor drain).