Load-Shedding: Shed It

Pakistan is in the dark. Literally. The load-shedding bug is still a far cry from being treated. After all, shortage created over a long period of time doesn't just wither away in the blink of an eye, especially when infrastructure - dams and other power projects - is either lacking or left idle. Of course, it becomes very easy to blame the government. And of course, bad-mouthing employees of local grid-stations has also become a favourite past-time of yours truly. Bad, very bad. I can blame them for not being organized in defining cut-off hours (you never know when they'll snatch away the power supply, so it becomes hard to plan chores and activities), but I can't blame them for being the vampires, having to suck our cities out of light.

We should stop wasting our time, blaming the government. They know the problem is there. Drawing-room talks and demonstrations will not achieve what needs to be achieved. They only waste the precious time of hundreds. If the will and grit is there, the men and women on top will help the country out of these troubles. Let us, for a change, focus on our ownselves, and how we can play a role - and a massive one at that. Two key words: Conserve and Energy. A combination of the two does not herald one benefit alone. Those are two-fold too. It also helps save the environment. Every switch pressed on, every appliance plugged, burns coals and stimulates nuclear power plants.

Consider this a public service message, if you may. But each one of us is capable of not just reducing our reactions to words in this matter; we can actually do something. More than our domestic routines, industry is suffering. A CEO of a well-established textile factory recently came on TV and threatened to commit suicide. The levels of worries and depression are on the rise. Machinery is lying idle, and it has become impossible to meet both local and international demand. Orders are not being delivered. This not only hurts the present, but the future of the country too.

• Always switch off lights, fans and air-conditioners when you're leaving a room;
  
• Replace bulbs with energy-savers wherever possible;
  
• Do not put appliances on stand-by (televisions, dvd players, laptops, desktops etc.) at least, over the night. They use about 10 per cent of electricity in that mode; so imagine how much can be saved when trillions of these are collectively switched off everyday. Frantic computer users can put their machines on sleep mode, if shutting down is too cumbersome;
  
• Switch off plugs once your mobile phones and other such appliances are charged. One does have the tendency of leaving the switch on indefinitely;
  
• Experts say that washing machines use the most energy. So wait till you have a full load ready to run, and use cold or warm wash, instead of hot wash because the heating process consumes a lot.
  
• And try to sleep early! (I missed this one tonight.) The earlier you sleep, the earlier you switch off lights, television sets and computers. Who knows, you might even strike the jackpot, you healthy-wealthy-wise citizen-o-da-world!

Please feel free to leave your own suggestions by commenting on the post. 

Copyright (c) 2008 Saadia Malik