Janet Collins
Billy MTurning off the Lights – I can do that!
June 9th 2008 11:07
It was World Environment Day on Thursday last so what a better weekend for Energy Australia, together with The Sun Herald, to launch its campaign to the consumers of Australia to manage more carefully their use of electricity. Stickers all over my home can now serve as reminders for me to close the fridge and turn off the lights.
For many years now Australia has been flooded with energy efficient household appliances. Complete with energy efficient ratings, these appliances have been marketed to all of us as a significant way to reduce our electricity consumption and save us money at the same time. That is not to say that changing other lifelong habits such as leaving on the lights or using the electric heater when we can throw on a jumper instead, should be ignored.
Habits in all things are developed in everything we do. That includes our working life. What I didn’t hear in this current campaign is any effort to persuade the business community to curb their electricity consumption along with the consumer. How am I to be convinced that my own efforts at home will help the environment protection cause, if my place of business is not going to do the same?
On World Earth Day this year, as in past years, the business community along with the general community were persuaded to turn off the lights for one hour. While this serves as another excellent educational campaign for the whole cause, it does not explain why the lights are left on in the many office buildings around our cities overnight and on weekends for the rest of the year.
The environmental cause has always been clouded by contradictions. The argument for and against disposable nappies, for example, is just one of them. Is it more damaging to the environment to use disposable nappies and send them to landfill rather than to wash (and maybe dry) a nappy and use more electricity instead?
There are many more examples but the reality is that our habits have been developed over time. Life’s necessary tasks made easier brought us the clothes dryer and the dishwasher and the many labour saving appliances we now have in our homes. The marketing of domestic chores made easier is exactly why we bought these things in the first place.
Much can be said of educating a public on how they can singularly help to preserve our environment and every little bit helps. It is true that many businesses have made many adjustments such as purchasing more energy saving equipment, even if this equipment is often left on “standby mode” overnight.
A campaign such as this one has a lot of merit but just as the campaigns promoting water conservation and recycling, the business community has to come on board much more before any of our individual efforts will be really worthwhile.
For many years now Australia has been flooded with energy efficient household appliances. Complete with energy efficient ratings, these appliances have been marketed to all of us as a significant way to reduce our electricity consumption and save us money at the same time. That is not to say that changing other lifelong habits such as leaving on the lights or using the electric heater when we can throw on a jumper instead, should be ignored.
Habits in all things are developed in everything we do. That includes our working life. What I didn’t hear in this current campaign is any effort to persuade the business community to curb their electricity consumption along with the consumer. How am I to be convinced that my own efforts at home will help the environment protection cause, if my place of business is not going to do the same?
On World Earth Day this year, as in past years, the business community along with the general community were persuaded to turn off the lights for one hour. While this serves as another excellent educational campaign for the whole cause, it does not explain why the lights are left on in the many office buildings around our cities overnight and on weekends for the rest of the year.
The environmental cause has always been clouded by contradictions. The argument for and against disposable nappies, for example, is just one of them. Is it more damaging to the environment to use disposable nappies and send them to landfill rather than to wash (and maybe dry) a nappy and use more electricity instead?
There are many more examples but the reality is that our habits have been developed over time. Life’s necessary tasks made easier brought us the clothes dryer and the dishwasher and the many labour saving appliances we now have in our homes. The marketing of domestic chores made easier is exactly why we bought these things in the first place.
Much can be said of educating a public on how they can singularly help to preserve our environment and every little bit helps. It is true that many businesses have made many adjustments such as purchasing more energy saving equipment, even if this equipment is often left on “standby mode” overnight.
A campaign such as this one has a lot of merit but just as the campaigns promoting water conservation and recycling, the business community has to come on board much more before any of our individual efforts will be really worthwhile.
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