| At the time of writing this article, I sit and think | | | | to 15-20% energy? |
| back of my childhood days when I grew up on a | | | | 5. When cooking on the stove ensure that |
| farm without electricity. I still remember the days | | | | vegetables are covered in water and cover |
| when my mom cooked on the big black coal | | | | saucepans with lids to reduce the cooking time. |
| stove in the kitchen that also served as a heater | | | | 6. Use a jug kettle with a water level indicator to |
| during the cold winters. As kids we used to get | | | | boil only the amount of water that you need for |
| dressed in the kitchen as we warmed up our | | | | that cup of coffee / tea. It is a waste of energy |
| clothes on the doors of the coal stove trying to | | | | to boil a full kettle when you are going to use only |
| fight the 0 and sometimes sub zero temperatures | | | | part of it. |
| outside. | | | | 7. In South Africa we still enjoy fairly warm |
| We also used an anthracite stove in the living | | | | winters (compared to Europe and America). Hang |
| room, which worked overtime in winter. Flipping a | | | | clothes on the line outside to dry rather than |
| switch for lights did not exist. We used paraffin | | | | drying everything in the tumble dryer. |
| and gas lamps alternated with candles in the | | | | 8. Switch the Dishwasher off when it comes to |
| bedrooms. Television did not exist and we listened | | | | the drying cycle and allow dishes to air dry. |
| to stories on the radio after dinner as a family | | | | 9. Wait until you have a full load before using the |
| with quality conversations and lots of laughs | | | | Dishwasher and or washing machine. |
| before it was bedtime. Our fridge/freezer also | | | | 10. Ensure that your fridge/freezer door seals |
| used gas. | | | | work properly. |
| Having grown up in the Bushveld, a place of | | | | 11. Cool food down before storing it in the fridge. |
| extremes, we did not only face minus 0 | | | | 12. Defrost your freezer regularly - every time |
| temperatures in winter, but had to deal with | | | | around 0.5 cm ice has been formed inside the |
| extreme heat in summer. I clearly remember the | | | | freezer. Place your fridge in the coolest part of |
| days when we, as kids took an afternoon nap on | | | | the kitchen if space allows- not right next to the |
| the cement floors in our house, as it was the only | | | | stove or in direct sunlight. |
| cool place (Bushveld summers easily reach | | | | 13. Turn off your geyser when going away for |
| temperatures of 40+ degrees in summer). No air | | | | week ends or extended periods of time. |
| conditioners, or fans even as we did not have | | | | 14. Use hand tools rather than power tools in your |
| electricity. | | | | workshop if and when you could. Nothing wrong |
| A couple of years later my dad upgraded to gas. | | | | with a bit of elbow grease at times especially |
| I remember some winters where the gas froze in | | | | when there is an energy crises. |
| the pipes outside and we had to warm up the | | | | 15. Appliances - ask the sales person whether or |
| pipes so that my mom could cook breakfast on | | | | not an appliance utilizes energy-saving. Avoid the |
| the gas stove. | | | | use of appliances that use over 1000 Watt |
| It was only around 1980 that we first got | | | | energy. It is also a good idea to keep all appliances |
| electricity. All of a sudden we had the luxury of | | | | clean and in good working order as it will ensure |
| lights, deep freezer and Television. | | | | that no energy is wasted. |
| I think the energy crises in Cape Town and other | | | | 16. Depending on the area where you live and |
| cities in South Africa came as a big shock to | | | | minimum/maximum temperatures, it might be a |
| many people as they never experienced having | | | | good idea to insulate your roof. |
| to cope without electricity. Whether we are hot | | | | 17. If you have both a shower and bath, rather |
| or cold, we just flip a switch and do not suffer | | | | take a shower as you do not only save water |
| any discomfort. One thing that remained from my | | | | but save the geyser from having to heat up large |
| childhood days is a saving awareness, which I | | | | amounts of water all the time. |
| think many modern children and even Adults lack, | | | | These are a few simple points where each of us |
| and this brings me to the following points in this | | | | could make a contribution towards reducing the |
| article. | | | | use of electricity in our daily environment. |
| There are some basic things, which we all could | | | | In conclusion we should view the availability of |
| do to save electricity: | | | | electricity as a luxury and not a right. That way |
| | | | when we are all of a sudden left in the dark |
| 1. Switch off lights when you leave the room. | | | | during power black-outs we could enjoy the |
| 2. Use energy saving light bulbs where possible | | | | silence and close family relationships with quality |
| (this will also cut your electricity bill) | | | | conversations that dinner at candle light or gas |
| 3. Turn off the TV and Hi-fi when you are not | | | | paraffin lamps bring versus the rushed 2006 |
| using it. Leaving it on stand-by uses energy. | | | | lifestyle with dinner in front of television with no |
| 4. Rather use the microwave than your stove. | | | | conversation. |
| Did you know that microwave cooking saves up | | | | |