Earth Hour’ may have come and gone and perhaps even unnoticed for many in Nigeria; but for close observers across the world, it was a moment to switch off non-essential appliances, lights and signage of some of the most iconic buildings, structures and monuments around the world between 8:30pm and 9:30pm (WAT) in support of energy efficiency.
In its 11th year on March 24, 2018, Earth Hour, a worldwide movement organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature and aimed at encouraging a shift in sustainable practices, has empowered millions around the world to make the switch from passive bystanders to active participants in global efforts to fight climate change.
Climate change is one of the strongest manifestations of the interconnected world we live in today. With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, it is projected that by 2050, 67 per cent of the world’s population will consist of urban dwellers. This urban growth will put tremendous stress on the food supply, water and sanitation infrastructure, and the environment in general. Individuals, organisations, and governments will need to play a big part towards the sustainable environmental management and the implementation of energy efficiency strategies.
From pushing for climate-friendly laws to lighting up homes and lives with solar energy, global power management company Eaton, is committed to “doing business right” through its sustainable business practices. This is not only critical to the future of the company, but also for the benefit of future generations. For this year’s Earth Hour, we are calling for local businesses, from every sector, to rethink their sustainability designs and transition towards building a climate-safe future.
In Africa, where millions are still without modern energy services, there are more effective ways to increase energy resilience and sustainability while reducing energy-related costs and minimising losses resulting from downtime due to power outages. Eaton’s new Wadeville microgrid system demonstrates the organisation’s unique xStorage portfolio of energy storage solutions that give access to safe, reliable and sustainable energy. Microgrid technology is increasingly being considered as a solution to addressing energy poverty across the world.
With more and more buildings coming up in the cities, consuming 30 to 40 per cent of the world’s energy, this high consumption of power will require companies to look more into investing in intelligent connected lighting, powered by smart sensors and highly efficient LED lights. Converting from energy-hungry florescent lights to LED lights will provide energy savings thereby lowering impact on the environment.
More organisations should embrace wind and solar as major sources of renewable energy. While the key argument used against renewables is that they do not produce consistent power like fossil fuels, due to their intermittent nature, renewables allow users to store energy when it is available and when rates are at their lowest, the use of second-life lithium-ion batteries reduces the need to use additional resources from the planet to produce new batteries.
In meeting the needs of global customers, employees and communities, Eaton continues to efficiently use and conserve global resources, develop energy efficient products, reduce emissions, protect the environment, and volunteer time to help build stronger communities. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services.
So, whether switching off your lights, lending your voice to educate audiences on the impact of climate change or making a long-term energy conversion for your home or business, our planet needs unprecedented momentum on climate action. It starts with each of us adopting long-term energy saving behaviours well beyond the Earth Hour.
