Energy takes many forms: heat, sound, movement, chemical, and so forth. By its nature, it is a fundamental part of the universe, and we have the knowledge to exploit energy, be it the chemical energy in your phone battery or the sound energy given out by a drum set.
Our ability to exploit the conversion of energy means we may also misuse it. Correctly managing our energy use, even relating to how we insulate our walls, will help save the environment. On the flip side, the more we mismanage energy, the larger the impact on our environment.
Get a Domestic or Business EPC
Managing energy and waste energy requires that you understand where your energy is being wasted and where polluting forms of waste are occurring. A domestic EPC enables you to do just that. It lets you to see where your house is wasting materials and energy, and offers solutions to said waste.
Not only are there domestic EPCs, but there are also commercial EPCs. These are often used not only to check wastage amounts, but also as ways to save money through the reduction of waste. Again, less waste means less of an environmental impact. Since businesses house more people, it stands to reason that savings within a business will have a bigger and more positive influence on the environment.
Less Waste Means Less Damage
If one were to look at the mathematics of energy conservation and environmental protection, there is no contention that the more energy we waste, then the more the environment suffers.
For example, cars work at 70 decibels, and birds call at 44db. If cars were as loud as a Boeing 737 at 90db, can you imagine the effect on local birds alone? Birds would need to stay at least 199 meters away from a motorway/highway in order to comfortably communicate.
Now, consider how quickly the local environment would heat up if cars wasted more heat than they do. Imagine the jump from 220 degrees Fahrenheit to 310 degrees. Apple trees and other beautiful pieces of nature would be unable to grow next to roads.
By its strictest mathematical terms, the less energy we waste (be it heat, sound, kinetic, etc.), and the less material we waste (gasses, fluids, etc.), then the less our environment suffers.
The Restriction of Heat
Many people focus on carbon emissions in an almost blind fashion since there is little point in trying to curb carbon output when China is producing over 9040 million metric tons per year. This is double the amount that the USA produces, and almost five times more than India. However, one area the UK is just as guilty is heat loss.
Heat created by towns and cities is already proven to be responsible for increased damage to the water table and marine life since it causes an increase in algae production. Plus, studies as early as 1998 have proven that the heat from cars and houses is the reason why it rains more on weekends, which affects all wildlife, from the number of owls to the number of insects on the street. Designing cooler cars and stopping the loss (or production) of heat from houses is all that is required to halt this type of environmental damage.
Water Loss and Its Implications
Most people know that wasting water causes droughts and a whole host of other problems, but few realise how much energy it also wastes. It takes power to store, clean, and pump water, and it takes energy to collect and clean or dispose of water. Even the manufacture of chlorine used in our drinking water takes massive amounts of energy as it is created by electrolysis (running an electric current through brine).
When you waste water, you damage the local environment by drawing much-needed fluid from the water table, and you create a larger demand for electrical energy, which means the burning of more fossil fuels and use of nuclear power. Most forms of electricity generation have a negative effect on the environment, with the exception of wind turbines, but people complain about them because they look ugly.
Conclusion – What Will Management Do?
If energy management is keyed primarily towards saving energy and/or reducing waste, then the environment will suffer. Hopefully, this article has exposed you to a few of the lesser-known ways in which our energy misuse damages the environment. Even something as innocent as brushing your teeth with the water running is enough to cause environmental damage.
Despite the fact that countries such as China are polluting so much, and countries like Finland are burying enough radioactive material to flash-fry the ocean, the fact is that being a part of the problem is not acceptable. Not only will your efforts help to conserve the environment (your local environment at the least), but the correct management of energy is also a very big money saver. After all, who wants to lose money because of something as solvable as energy waste? Contact EPC Glasgow today for help finding out where your home or business mismanages energy.