Tuesday, January 29, 2008

What Can Your Company And You Do To Save Energy?

We have just received an email from the Operations Manager at Avusa asking for suggestions on what we can do to contribute to energy savings. This is commendable. Has your company opened up a suggestion box? Here are my suggestions:

-It should be compulsory that unattended computers be switched off, particularly when left unattended over weekends and overnight. Unattended offices should have lights and airconditioners turned off.
- Cycling to work should be encouraged, with a special section allocated for bicycles. Bicycles should also allowed to be brbought into the building and stored out of sight (security currently does not allow bicycles inside the building, which discourages the use of R20 000+ bicycles since they have to be stowed in the basement where they are easily stolen).
I live 5km from work and could get here quicker if I was able to cycle here. Sometimes it takes me 30 minutes to get here when I could make the trip by bike in 10.
-Lift clubs should be encouraged so that one person one vehicle setups can be avoided.
-Flexitime ought to be implemented so that there is not a simultaneous rush home with subsequent simultaneous overloading of the network. A steady stream throughout the day can be encouraged, and if necessary, a night shift can allow for more even use of energy.

Anyone have other ideas? Here is an example of an entire lifestyle shift by a New Yorker.

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