Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the amount of power they sell by introducing a regulatory formula that
rewards utilities for providing the best service at the least cost. California
regulators have made this change, and as a result of this and other poli-
cies, Californians use less than half as much electricity per person as
other Americans do; their per capita usage is comparable to that of
Japan, Germany, Belgium, and Denmark.
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California's per capita usage
is matched by New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, and Wash-
ington State. Many Americans, however, believe that if we reduce our
carbon footprint, we will compromise our quality of life and end up
drinking warm beer in a dark room. However, the per capita usage in
these six states proves that it is possible to have a U.S. lifestyle with a
European-sized carbon footprint. If all other states were to emulate these
six, the nation would go a long way toward the nation's national emis-
sions goals. The potential for energy effi ciency (conservation) in the
United States is greater than anywhere else in the world, according to a
global consulting fi rm.
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Shower Heads
Probably the most easily implemented conservation
measure is the installation of low-fl ow shower heads, which not only
save freshwater but also reduce the need for heating water using fossil
fuels. A new shower head costs only a few dollars and takes only a few
minutes to install. An additional saving on heating water can be achieved
by taking shorter showers—say, three minutes of running water instead
of fi fteen.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Another inexpensive and easy way
to conserve fossil fuel is by removing Thomas Edison's incandescent
light bulbs and replacing them with energy-effi cient compact fl uorescent
lamps (CFLs). Ninety percent of the energy that Edison's bulbs emit
is in the form of heat, not light. The CFLs consume 70 to 80 percent
less electricity and last six to ten times longer on average. A 20
watt CFL is equivalent to a 100 watt regular bulb and the 11 watt
is equivalent to a 60 watt incandescent bulb. A CFL is more expensive
to buy than an incandescent bulb, but because of its long life, it more
than overcomes the extra purchase cost over the lifetime of the bulb.
In addition, you save 70 to 80 percent of your electricity bill on
light. CFLs are a sound fi nancial investment in addition to reducing
the need to pollute the air, water, and our bodies by burning coal,
natural gas, and oil. Lighting accounts for 17 percent of global power
consumption.
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