Energy overconsumption
Introduction
Energy waste is the unjustified waste of energy, especially fuel and electricity, and the unjustified use of low energy efficiency devices.
Impacts
Energy waste represents an important part of the ecological footprint. It has collateral consequences, including the emission of waste (sometimes toxic), light pollution, numerous pollutants and greenhouse gases, which translates into a contribution to global warming or local thermal pollution.
Causes
Energy waste has many causes and sources:
• - unnecessary use of energy resources (advertising, aesthetic or excessive lighting);[1].
• - irrational or erroneous use of energy resources;
• - lack of reuse;.
• - absence of recycling.
History shows that easy and cheap access to common energy assets (gas, oil, coal, wood and, more recently, nuclear energy, has favored energy waste. This phenomenon is an example of the tragedy of the commons and is one of the sources of habitat overexploitation.
Difference between energy savings, energy efficiency and energy waste
The starting situation is a room illuminated with a 60-watt incandescent bulb that a person turns on when he gets up, at 8:00, and turns off when he goes to bed, at 11:00 p.m. So.
• - energy saving is turning off the light bulb every time you leave the room.
• - Energy efficiency is replacing the incandescent bulb with a 10-watt LED with the same light intensity, but using 6 times less.
• - energy waste is leaving the light bulb on all night.
Examples of energy waste
• - Put hot dishes in the refrigerator (they should be left at room temperature until they cool).[2].
• - Wash lightly soiled clothes at 60 °C when they are equally clean at 40 °C.[2].