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| HOW CAN I SAVE ENERGY? |
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| TELEVISION USAGE |
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| The Daily demand for electricity can be graphically illustrated against time as above. This curve, also known as the load curve, is characterised by peaks and dips corresponding to various electricity usage scenarios. |
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The first peak (between 5.30 a.m. and 6.30 a.m.) occurs due to electricity usage at the break of dawn. Working people and school children are at their busiest at this hour. This peak starts receding around 7.00 a.m. when households set off to work or school. The trough at 7.30 a.m. is when most people are commuting to work/school, hence electricity usage in establishments is minimal. The subsequent slow peak, up to 9.00 a.m., symbolises the initial working hours of a typical day. This is followed by the commercial working load, which begins at 9.30 a.m. and follows suit to 6.30 p.m., during which the electricity usage is high.
The abrupt sharp peak around 6.30 p.m. is due to household electricity usage at evening and nightly hours. This peak is known as the ‘peak demand’ and lasts till about 10.30 p.m. Household lighting and television usage are the main contributors to this peak demand. Therefore, you could contribute to reduce the peak demand by managing your television schedule.Let us see how this can be done. |
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| Did you know? |
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| Did you know that you have an energy thief at home this very moment? This thief is silent and unseen, and its name is "standby power." |
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| Standby power is the name given to the electricity used to power electrical appliances and devices even when they are turned off. Many electronic devices consume electricity 24 hours a day just to stay warmed up for whenever you decide to use them. "Instant on" TV sets are one example. Whether you watch TV a few hours a day or not at all, the TV is always partially on, staying ready to flicker to life the moment you turn on its switch. Other devices that consume power constantly are those that have external or internal clocks: microwave ovens, computers, VCRs, DVD players, and cable TV and satellite TV boxes. |
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| How much do these various devices consume? |
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Perhaps not much than just a few watts, maybe 3 to 5 each. But multiply that number over a 24-hour day, and by the number of such devices at home...
See what we mean? You waste that amount. You could cut it short, if only you bothered to switch off the TV/ computer/ VCRs / DVD players at their ‘on/off switch’. |
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| Here are some energy saving Tips on TV usage |
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| (a) |
Watch what you really need to watch |
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Have a planned TV schedule. Relaxing in the sofa with the TV on is not the best way to spend your leisure time. Turn on the TV only if the programme is worth watching. |
| (b) |
Get the family together to watch TV |
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A family of 4, all watching television together in the same room, uses ¼ the energy of the family with TVs in 4 different rooms viewing 4 different programs. |
| (c) |
Tape Your Prime-Time Favorites for Later Viewing |
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VCRs and TiVo recorders use far less energy than TV sets, so record those programs shown at peak energy times between 06.30 p.m. and 10 pm and view them at a non-peak time. Fast-forwarding past ads shrinks a 1 hour program to about 42 minutes. |
| (d) |
Turn Down the Volume |
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Turn down or mute the volume entirely for commercials. Using a 2 percent lower volume setting when you watch also saves energy. |
| (e) |
Turn Down the Screen Lighting |
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Lower the contrast and brightness on your set and watch TV in low light. |
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