Be energy-efficient

Save it!

To raise awareness and get all South Africans on board to help save energy, government has launched the Save It! campaign. The campaign aims to promote a culture of energy efficiency in South Africa. With rising energy costs and the threat of global warming, we have to learn to use existing supplies of power more wisely to avoid a crisis.

If every South African makes an effort to use less energy, we will be able to reduce the general energy demand. This means there will be more to go around and there won't be a need for power cuts. In order to achieve this, all South Africans must use energy responsibly in factories, schools, universities, offices, hospitals, hotels and at home.

What is energy?

We need energy for many of our daily activities – for cooking, heating, lighting, entertainment and working.

The energy we need to perform our daily tasks generally comes from the sun and the food we eat. But there is another very important type of energy that we simply cannot do without. This energy is used to run our households, offices and factories. We need it for hot water, to cook food and operate lights, irons, washing machines, heaters, televisions, computers, power tools, industrial equipment and many more.

This kind of energy is mostly supplied to us in the form of electricity, but as the cost of power goes up and supplies decrease, we need to know all there is about energy efficiency.

Why is there a shortage of energy?

For many years, people have used fossil fuels like oil and coal for power. However these resources are finite. This means that one day they will run out. Due to the population growing and development taking place, the demand for power has increased.

Why is renewable energy important?

Renewable energy comes from natural sources that are readily available and can easily replace themselves, like the sun, wind, plant matter and geothermal heat.

There are other sources of energy such as gas and nuclear power, but they are not as kind to the environment as renewable energy.

What does it mean to be energy-efficient?

Being energy efficient means not wasting energy, using less of it to perform the same activities as before and switching over to other, cleaner sources that are kinder to the earth. Basically, it means using energy smarter.

Why is it important to save energy?

Most energy in South Africa comes from electricity, which comes from coal-fired power stations. They produce carbon emissions that are harmful to the environment. Because of the economic development that has taken place in our country, electricity demand has shot up. This means that more electricity has to be produced, which will increase carbon emissions.

But there is another way of solving this, simply use less electricity and be more energy efficient. Not only will this save our planet for future generations, it will also ensure that there is enough energy for all. So, let's all stand together and SAVE IT