All these 'savings' and getting caught up in the global hype - to what end?

Eskom gets hurt, feels the loss of income and increases tariffs to make up for its loss. Whilst it is on a roll, it also pushes for extra to increase capacity to meet the increasing demand for electricity.

It is an ill-considered scenario. SWITCH OFF - UNPLUG - SAVE. Save what!? 'Save' implies money, but clearly there are no savings to be had there.

Increased capacity - increased usage - increased demand - increased tariffs - fatter fat cats - leaner consumers. Are we ever going to benefit from our own technological advancements?

Or is that the reserve of the well connected (?) few?

All these 'savings' and getting caught up in the global hype - to what end?

Eskom gets hurt, feels the loss of income and increases tariffs to make up for its loss. Whilst it is on a roll, it also pushes for extra to increase capacity to meet the increasing demand for electricity.

It is an ill-considered scenario. SWITCH OFF - UNPLUG - SAVE. Save what!? 'Save' implies money, but clearly there are no savings to be had there.

Increased capacity - increased usage - increased demand - increased tariffs - fatter fat cats - leaner consumers. Are we ever going to benefit from our own technological advancements?

Or is that the reserve of the well connected (?) few?

hey mahmood, do you work for Eskom?

by switching off you save electricity, you save the environment and you save money. you don't pay for what you don't use :)

hey mahmood, do you work for Eskom?

by switching off you save electricity, you save the environment and you save money. you don't pay for what you don't use :)

Of course I don't work for Eskom - I'd be a fat cat and not need to blog then, would I?

Switching off doesn't really save electricity - it cannot be hoarded away 'for a rainy day' as can so many other things. But '... the utility would spend R87 billion in the current fiscal year and R103.5 billion next year...' - IOL Business Report 2 April 2009. Eskom plans to spend that to increase capacity. The capacity to delivery more electricity to more people. Resulting in more damage to the environment in shorter periods.

And yes, you don't pay for what you don't use, but when you do, you will pay for new plants and fatter salaries, through increased electricity prices.

One would expect to pay less (and save money) when consuming mass-produced items. Not so with Eskom - we have already had an increase in price of 27.5% last year. Eskom is now expecting about twice that!

My point is that we should not be swept away by little Globally-driven projects, but see the larger, National picture and our positions in it.

Of course I don't work for Eskom - I'd be a fat cat and not need to blog then, would I?

Switching off doesn't really save electricity - it cannot be hoarded away 'for a rainy day' as can so many other things. But '... the utility would spend R87 billion in the current fiscal year and R103.5 billion next year...' - IOL Business Report 2 April 2009. Eskom plans to spend that to increase capacity. The capacity to delivery more electricity to more people. Resulting in more damage to the environment in shorter periods.

And yes, you don't pay for what you don't use, but when you do, you will pay for new plants and fatter salaries, through increased electricity prices.

One would expect to pay less (and save money) when consuming mass-produced items. Not so with Eskom - we have already had an increase in price of 27.5% last year. Eskom is now expecting about twice that!

My point is that we should not be swept away by little Globally-driven projects, but see the larger, National picture and our positions in it.

okay, I didn't know all that.

but then what solutions do you see? should we be investing in a solar panel and going off grid?

okay, I didn't know all that.

but then what solutions do you see? should we be investing in a solar panel and going off grid?

I really don't know what to say, Helen. But here goes ...

Solar panels and a National solar effort would count for a big 'SORRY' and 'MMWAH' to the environment. But then again, the manufacturers must come to the planet's party and make switching affordable for households, in anticipation of units 'flying off the shelves'. But justifying high costs by saying in 10 years the savings would outstrip 'investments' is not on - unless we can pay then. A 24- to 36-month contract, with major discounts for cash (cops give 50% discounts, remember?) would work.

Personally, I believe in the POO (Power of One). I have a small car (42lt tank, filled once a month), I do switch lights off when I leave a room, do use hot water very sparingly, do use the tumble dryer rarely (about 6 times last year), do put just enough water in the kettle for the cuppa, etc.

Can POO make a difference? Yes! I do. YES, I DO!

I really don't know what to say, Helen. But here goes ...

Solar panels and a National solar effort would count for a big 'SORRY' and 'MMWAH' to the environment. But then again, the manufacturers must come to the planet's party and make switching affordable for households, in anticipation of units 'flying off the shelves'. But justifying high costs by saying in 10 years the savings would outstrip 'investments' is not on - unless we can pay then. A 24- to 36-month contract, with major discounts for cash (cops give 50% discounts, remember?) would work.

Personally, I believe in the POO (Power of One). I have a small car (42lt tank, filled once a month), I do switch lights off when I leave a room, do use hot water very sparingly, do use the tumble dryer rarely (about 6 times last year), do put just enough water in the kettle for the cuppa, etc.

Can POO make a difference? Yes! I do. YES, I DO!

South Africa will soon be forced to reduce its electricity use (or come up with a new way to generate electricity). There is no way we can continue to be the 12th highest emitter of green house gases world wide without coming under increasing global pressure to make a change. Especially in light of the fact that the latest information on climate change is making for future look very bleak.

South Africa will soon be forced to reduce its electricity use (or come up with a new way to generate electricity). There is no way we can continue to be the 12th highest emitter of green house gases world wide without coming under increasing global pressure to make a change. Especially in light of the fact that the latest information on climate change is making for future look very bleak.