We now have some pretty neat IT gear these days at home. At Christmas my wife got an
i-pad and I now use one of the new Android phone. Both of these have had a dramatic impact on our daily lives and means that our old trusty PC and my lap top get used less and less. As for newspapers, they are a thing of the past with the ability to download some of the major quality newsheets free. The downside of this is that we have no newspapers to light our stove!
The i-pad is so innovative that it becomes almost an extension of the hand and the brain and there are an increasing number of apps out there, some great, others less so. The same is the same for the android phone. What would i do without my GPS, diary and emails. The downside is that the battery quickly discharges. On one trip to Sheffield, I found myself without any power. This got me thinking about what would we do if the power actually runs out. This is no idle exercise as it is suggested that we could face power cuts by 2016 if we don't find new sources of power. So the one obvious solution is to generate more power, but how can we do this in just five years. Wind power is facing planning battles on shore and for off shore developments its at least a six year programme from conception to commissioning.
The other option is to find ways to reduce our energy consumption. So before you switch your lights and heating on, think about whether you actualy need to switch on. For more information on Greening your Office (and of course home) read my article on my website.
GOOD PRACTICE HINT:
Don't leave your electrical equipment on standby. They still consume a significant amount of power, so when not in use, switch off electrical and electronic equipment.
Chris Gledhill
01874 638 979
