NOV 05

In response to recent power shortages in South Africa, the national power company, Eskom, has begun calling on individuals and industry alike to cut power usage. Employing a strategy called "demand-side management," they're engaging customers to limit their consumption, even going so far as to pay industrial plants to shut down during peak hours. The recommendations on the Eskom website read like a green primer:

Businesses are requested to turn off all non-essential lighting and office equipment during the day and overnight.

Residential consumers are encouraged to heed the request of Power Alert and the call to use electricity efficiently. Please keep lights off in rooms which are not occupied. Use hot water sparingly. If heaters are to be used during this period, utilise them to heat the room and not the whole house... Switch off appliances in stand-by mode such as hi-fi systems, video and DVD players and other electronic devices and limit the use of pool pumps. Use microwave ovens rather than stoves.

As part of their national conservation campaign, they've bought billboards with a clever illustration reminding us to use only what we need. That reminds me, I've left the light on in the kitchen...

via WattWatt

Comments (8)

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Even more effective
written by weee recycling, November 05, 2007

if they put the one light on a cycle that dims it so that it's more noticeable...

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written by AlienFarmer, November 05, 2007

That's one of the coolest billboard ads I have ever seen. If they were using solar they could use all the lights though...

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Eskom
written by circlingthesun, November 05, 2007

He he! Nice one! Pity they're not really as environmentally friendly as they appear. South Africa has been experiencing massive power shortage due to rapid development and poor planing from Eskom. The power shortage is the primary reason for the campaign. They're currently trying to get a new nuclear reactor up and running to meet the shortage and make use of our country's uranium deposits. Apparently they never really even considered renewable sources. It was deemed as ineffective and ruled out straight away. Nothing like a little nuclear lobbying and a easily swayed government.

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written by circlingthesun, November 05, 2007

Link to the nuclear issue mentioned above if anyone's interested: http://www.carteblanche.co.za/...sp?Id=3416

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written by Jill, November 05, 2007

What a smart ad! Thanks for sharing.

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written by Pedro, November 05, 2007

Clever ad, indeed! Hope the message gets across...

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billboard...
written by ray zink, November 05, 2007

I need to put that billboard on my refrigerator so my kids might remember to turn off the light or stereo when they leave the room...

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Eksom
written by Eco Matt James, November 07, 2007

They do use some renewable energy... only 13 of their 24 plants are coal fired (all close to Johannesburg) , and only one is nuclear. The balance is hydroelectric and pumped storage.

They have a sustainable develeopement strategy, too: http://www.eskom.co.za/live/co...gory_ID=76.

Like most countries, though, they've got a long way to go...

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