The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye My trust, and be not intent only on your own ease.
Bahá’u’lláh, Persian Hidden Words #54
by Christine Muller
The record-breaking heatwaves in the Western U.S., together with serious drought and, at this time of the year, unprecedented threat of wildfires, are stark reminders that such conditions will increasingly become the new normal and will even worsen in the years and decades ahead—all because of global warming. While large scale societal actions are urgently needed to keep the Earth a livable place for our children, there are also many things we can do as individuals—one of them is to reduce our use of electricity during peak hours.
On peak days (when it is extremely hot or cold), demand for electricity is much higher – as much as twice as high. “To meet the extreme electric demand, grid operators turn to ‘peaker plants,’ the power generators of last resort. These power plants are generally the dirtiest and most expensive, running on gas and oil and selling their power at extremely high rates.”**
Emissions from generating electricity from these fossil fuels will further heat up the planet. That is why it is important to reduce electricity consumption, especially during the hours of high demand on such peak days (from noon until mid-evening).
Turn the thermostat up so that you only cool your room(s) to the degree that is really necessary. Use fans. Run your washer and other large appliances in the morning or late in the evening. Charge your electronics during the night and you may even run them on battery during peak hours. (Unplug the chargers during the day.)
**Resource: Green Energy Consumers Alliance “Shave the Peak“
