Switch it off

Electricity consumption accounts for 14% of the UN's greenhouse gas emissions.

Electricity provides light, heat and cooling to staff in our offices, as well as being essential for the effective working of all the office equipment we use such as printers, photocopiers, telephones and computers.

Often it’s difficult to see how we can reduce our use of electricity. But there are some simple ways that you can make a difference without changing your working habits. These include:

• Turn off lights when you don’t need them, especially at the end of the day.
• Avoid standby: switch off any computers, photocopies and printers at the end of each day.
• Don’t leave anything plugged in that doesn’t need to be e.g. mobile phone chargers, other electrical gadgets.

Many UN organizations are looking at ways of reducing electricity consumption or moving to more sustainable sources of electricity. 

If you've got some ideas or advice on how to save energy then why not share them with us below in the comments section?

Down to Earth     Less is More     Bon Appetit     Green Champions 

Did You Know?
 

• Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) could save up to 7.8 Gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020, or 15% of global emissions. In economic terms, ICT-enabled energy efficiency translates into approximately US$946.5 billion of cost savings. (Smart 2020)

Additional Materials

Reports

Smart 2020 is a useful website with loads of resources that shed light on the the role of ICTs in enabling energy efficiency. The Smart 202 report states that the ICT sector can play a critical role in the fight against climate change, and could enable emissions reductions of 7.8 Gt CO2e in 2020 - 15% of business-as-usual emissions. To find out more visit the Smart 2020 website.

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