HOW TO REDUCE YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION
BY JERRY FARNHAM, PLANTS & EQUIPMENT MANAGER
Reducing your energy consumption means reducing
the amount of energy you use at home, work, and for
transportation. Finding more efficient means of energy
use and eliminating wasted energy will help both your
finances and the environment. The following is a guide
on how to reduce your energy consumption.
Maintain your heating and cooling systems properly.
Method 1: Reduce your energy consumption
at home or work
Method 2: Reduce your transportation energy consumption
• Have them maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Doing so will allow them to use energy more efficiently than if they were
poorly maintained.
Avoid using motorized transportation whenever possible.
Turn off computers when they are not in use.
• Many office workers and home users leave computers on at all times,
even when not in use.
Take mass transit when you cannot walk or bicycle.
• If your computer must remain on, turn the monitor off when it is not in
use. This will not affect the performance of the computer.
Unplug all unused items.
• Walk or use a bicycle to get to nearby places to avoid using fuel.
• A bus or train, for example, uses less fuel per passenger than most
personal vehicles.
Drive during off-peak times.
• While walking, bicycling, and mass transit are the ideal means of
transportation, they may not be able to get you everywhere you must
go. Drive during non-rush-hour times, whenever possible.
• Unplug all unused items, such as a television that you are not watching,
or plug them into a power strip that is able to be turned off. A power strip,
when turned off, will cut all power to the device.
• Being stuck in traffic reduces your vehicle’s fuel economy to zero.
• If you have an extra refrigerator that holds a small amount of items,
consolidate those items into your main refrigerator and unplug the
unused refrigerator.
• Many electronics and appliances consume electricity when they are not
in use.
Turn your vehicle off during extended traffic jams.
• If you are sure that you will not be driving for an extended period, such
as during a train crossing or draw-bridge opening, turn your vehicle off.
This will avoid wasting fuel as your vehicle is idle.
Turn off lights when they are not in use.
Accelerate at a moderate speed.
• When leaving a room that nobody else is in, turn off the lights.
Make use of natural light.
• During the day, leave blinds and curtains open to allow the sunlight to
light your home or workplace.
• In the winter time, sunlight will also help heat your home.
Use less heating and cooling energy when nobody is home and while
sleeping.
• In the winter, set the heat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12.78 degrees
Celsius) when you will be out for several hours or more or when sleeping
- when you can use blankets to keep warm. This will keep your home
warm enough to avoid damage to areas such as pipes without using too
much energy.
• During the summer, if nobody will be home for several hours, turn your
air conditioner to a higher temperature or off. While you may experience
brief discomfort when you return home, you will avoid wasting energy.
• Accelerating at very slow or very fast speeds results in higher fuel
consumption than a moderately-paced acceleration.
Obey posted speed limits.
• Fuel economy generally declines rapidly at high speeds.
Use cruise-control when possible.
• On open stretches of road, use cruise-control when it is safe to do so.
Driving at a consistent speed allows your engine to use less fuel than at
fluctuating speeds.
Remove unnecessary items from your vehicle.
• The more your vehicle weighs the more fuel it
consumes.
• Removing unnecessary items that you may
typically carry in your vehicle will reduce your
vehicle’s overall weight and increase its fuel
economy.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS STONE SUCCESSFUL IN 2013
Southern Illinois Stone’s (SIS) production endured challenges during
the fourth quarter due to the extreme weather conditions. Despite
the weather, SIS ended the fourth quarter successfully. Material was
provided for projects such as: I-57 and the interchange at Highway
13 and I-57 in Marion and Route 166.
The fourth quarter also saw the retirement of Larry Evrard after
25 years of service. The entire company wishes him well in his
retirement.
Currently, SIS is busy working on a new mining plan to access the
middle ledge. This should assist in lessening the stripping burden
and incorporate shorter hauling distances in the upcoming year. In
the fourth quarter, Southern Illinois Stone had no lost time accidents
culminating in an entire year without any lost time accidents.
Additionally, there were no MSHA citations during the fourth quarter or the year. SIS would like to thank all employees for the excellent safety record
and for their efforts to continue to improve plant safety throughout the new year.
Delta Companies Inc. 2014 Newsletter | ISSUE 1
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