Easy enough with less Energy (and Oil).
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ANALYSIS, Global –Sometimes the logic for oil usage sounds crazy.
Rather than reduce use of oil we go into a war using oil to fight for more oil supplies so we can have more plastic goods made from oil.
This itself increases global oil consumption further reducing oil supply.
Huh?
Does that Sound rational? Read it out aloud. No.
Economically it is not rational. Common sense tells you it is not rational.
Sounds like a panic because we might run out of oil to:
a) drive our big cars/SUVs/motor homes
b) manufacture more plastic cr*p we don’t need
c) drive to the mall in our SUV and buy plastic cr*p we don’t need
But there are other ways forward.
It doesn’t need to mean the end of the world. Even if your world is the mall…
The answer is about our choices.
One simple answer. Which company is doing better?
Who is doing better Toyota or GM?
Toyota. And their cars generally use less fuel than GM gas-guzzlers.
GM in the USA is just being stubborn. They do not want to change.
I’d like to think there was an alternative to a spiraling war being waged to secure future Oil Supplies. And there is.
So where IS the innovation here?
Use less energy and water.
That would mean consume less.
Turn off lights in big office towers
Plant lots of trees of the right sort to be a carbon-sink.
Anecdotally, each tree soaks up one-ton of emissions over its life.
Stop buying plastic cr*p
Stop purchasing Chinese made goods we do not need that travel huge distances to reach us
Walk to the shops don’t drive
Walk or bicycle where you can
Buy goods that last
Travel by public transport where it is efficient to do so
I am not saying to stop living our lives.
Start with the easy stuff.
Offices use a lot of electricity
There was a recent report suggesting a few key major uses of energy are:
a) Electric lights in Office Blocks (especially after hours).
b) Add to that desktop computers and monitors left on 24/7.
c) Then add the mobile phone and other chargers that have no phone attached
A device that is plugged in still draws power.
Turn them all off at the end of the day.
Computer. Monitor. Lights. Chargers.
Unplug or switch off at the wall all electric appliances. Have the cleaners turn off all lights.
Simple. No impact on operations.
Massive reduction in energy consumption.
If you’re a manager, you can make this policy. Create a policy manual for your team.
It is the waste we should start with before the clever tricky means of energy reduction.
And Get personal with products:
And I am not saying to stop buying your favorite chocolate bar.
But think before you consume.
Reward companies that make responsible decisions.
Rewards companies that use local produce. Companies who reduce packaging.
Who allow you to supply your own containers rather than over-packaged disposables.
Buy from local markets who support local producers.
We can act. Today.
The time of waste for wastes sake is over.
Learn to live with less waste before supply-side constraints forces massive price rises.
Take care
Christopher
Speaker. Author. Editor-In-Chief. Executive Director of Innovation, 2thinknow.
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Jan 29th, 2008 at 11:16 am
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