Turn it off

Last week hopefully you made a plan to change some light bulbs……………this week we are talking about turning it off both at home and at work.

We leave so much on and running which is wasting power when we are not using it. Take the extra few seconds to turn it off and save yourself money, save power and reduce your impact on the National Grid. 

Here are just a few ideas:

• Lights – Turn them off when you leave the room, use sensor lights in hallways, lobbies and outside areas.  
• TV’s and other electronic devices – don’t leave them on standby, get off your butt and turn them off at the TV and at the wall.  
• Turn your oven and hob off at the wall. Same for your Washing Machine and Dryer – there is no need for these to stay on all the time. Even on standby they are sucking power. 
• Computers – remember that they are still sucking power in sleep mode, on screen saver and all other sleepy modes. Turn them off fully when not in use. 
• Going away for a few days – turn off your hot water cylinder too. Why heat water when you aren’t in the house. 

If you live or work in a place where people need reminders why not create a have you turned it off sign and place it in strategic places.   Otago Polytechnic has a system where all the computers are automatically turned off in the early evening, so if anyone has left theirs on, unless they are sitting in front of it and override the message that says it will be turned off, the computer will be off for the night.  They also have reminders to turn off the lights and also use the stairs rather than the lift, saving power and improving personal well-being.
These may all seem like small things and you on your own won’t make much difference – but if each and everyone of us make an effort, collectively we will make a big difference. 

This will be last sustainability tip of the week for this term. Look out for more in Term 3! 

Together we will make a difference.  

Have a great and sustainable weekend and term break!

Lighting

This week since its as good as mid winter – shortest day on Tuesday next week, so I thought we’d talk lighting.

I read recently in the ‘Good Magazine’ which is a magazine dedicated to being more sustainable that recent research by the electricity commission showed that only 32% of people guessed the energy-efficient light correctly and 67% preferred the low energy bulb or had no preference so the argument that the light is worse is potentially a dead duck. The original eco-bulbs way back were definitely awful, but in the last 5 years they have come a long way and there are certainly no complaints in my house.

You can now buy modern eco-bulbs that give fantastic light, and look similar to the old bulbs. Yes they cost a bit more but boy do they last for AGES. At my house I would be changing the old style incandescent light bulbs all the time but in every socket that I now have an eco-bulb in, I have never had to replace them and for some of the bulbs that was 5 years ago in places used constantly like our kitchen!! And the power saving benefits are noticeable on your power bill too so the additional cost is more than recouped. Just check out the energy units you use – comparing the same month in the previous year to the current year when you have changed all the bulbs in your living area for example.

Remember though that as well as using them to conserve energy, in terms of environmental safety you need to be aware of clean up protocol in the event of a breakage and also disposal once the bulb has come to its use by date. It is important to follow through the whole cycle.

Because eco-bulbs contain a small amount of mercury you need to be aware of clean up procedures if they should break (see below) and also that they should not be disposed of with your household waste. Collect them up and next time you are going to your refuge transfer station take them to the Hazardous waste area for recycling of the mercury and correct disposal. In the interests of sustainability and environmental impact, make the trip to the transfer station worth it, store things that need to go up and make 1 trip, instead of making many small trips. In Auckland and Hawkes by there is a free mobile Hazards removal service that you can also use. Click here to read about the service in Napier.  No doubt this service will extend in the future to include other areas.

You can read more about these lamps on the Ministry for the Environment Website　

Have a great and sustainable weekend.

Anaesthetic Waste Gases

In the veterinary clinic we produce greenhouse gases via our anaesthetic waste gases. Although this is a small contribution to greenhouse gases in the big picture if we all make small incremental changes then together they make a big change.

Did you know that you can use a re-breathing system which recycles the anaesthetic gases, therefore reducing how much we use right down to an animal that weights 5 kilograms of lean body weight (rather than the 10kg bodyweight which was always previously used as the figure for use of a rebreathing circuit) providing you purchase a modern rebreathing system that has more lightweight valves.

This is therefore better for the environment, clinic economics and the health of our staff

(Source: Roz Machon, Presentation to School of Veterinary Staff, March 2011)

Have a great and sustainable weekend

Social Well being

Sustainability has 4 facets:

• Environmental Well-being
• Cultural Well-being
• Economic Well-being
• Social Well-being

Today I thought we might focus on our own personal well-being (part of Social well being) as part of thinking sustainably. 

Happiness is a big part of your own personal well being so, with a long weekend coming up and hopefully some time to really think about this, today is a challenge:

• Write down a list of things that genuinely make you happy
• Write down a list of things that genuinely make you unhappy

For everything that makes you happy - Make sure you ensure you do at least one of the things that make you happy everyday – more if you can!  Happiness most or all of the time is the goal!!

For everything that makes you unhappy set a goal to reverse that – depending on what it is it could be something that can be resolved very quickly or it might be a longer term project.

Remember written goals are more likely to be achieved

In the words of Oscar Wilde - “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken"

 In my words - "Life is short – live it to the max!  There is no point being unhappy" 

If you want to read more about Happiness visit the Happiness project website.

Have a great and sustainable weekend