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UK energy saving day...uses more energy
Perhaps the role of the individual in making a difference in improving electrical energy efficiency is a lost cause, or is it about who pushes out the message? Take this week's "E-Day" initiative in the UK. Note that the initiative used to have the support of the public broadcaster, the BBC, but it decided that saving the planet was not in its mandate so pulled the...plug.
The conclusion: "E-Day did not succeed in cutting the UK's electricity demand. The drop in temperature between Wed 27 Feb and Thurs 28 Feb days probably caused this, as a result of more lights and heating being left on than were originally predicted. The National Grid refined their assessments, based on actual weather data, during Thursday afternoon but I am afraid that E-Day did not achieve the scale of public awareness or participation needed to have a measurable effect. I will do my best to learn the relevant lessons for next time. Thank you to everyone who helped me or left something off specially as their contribution to E-Day, and this Leave It Off experiment. Please enjoy E-Day's solution, video and science sections which all worked well."
Thisn is a great site and offers some really great tips. I encourage all wattwatters to visit it and learn. http://e-day.org.uk/>
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2 Comments
It's a shame that the marginal increase in energy use meant that all the headlines around this could be so mocking. However there was remarkably little real publicity or promotion around the day, and no reminders on the day that might have persuaded those vaguely sympathetic to do something.
I'm not convinced that one-off events like this really make a difference, anyway. It's too easy for people's long-term behaviour to remain unchanged.
#2 by Gyorgy Borbely on March 10, 2008 at 2:14 p.m.
I am optimistic. There is a special message of this unsuccessful “E-Day” ; our effort isn’t enough, and shall be required continuous effort both in technology as well as in humane attitude. I think so, that the worst scenario would be; let say 5% energy reducing only some hours and after everything “business as usual”.