Word's already out that the OCGD rates are rising worldwide. Panic sets in with folks and cut-and-run are what some consider or do, when they get their next power bill. Sound like a story?
Word's already out that the OCGD rates are rising worldwide. Panic sets in with folks and cut-and-run are what some consider or do, when they get their next power bill.
Sound like a story?Seriously- Obsessive Compulsive Green Disorder (OCGD/ OCGDD) are the GREEN folks who self describe themselves with a little catchy mnemonic. Ever hear of IPTPWC? (Internet Protocol Telephony People Who Care)
Brian Riggs recently wrote about Picking Your Mania. Well, I confess to having three- first one is chemical and not dependence, number two is iMania (Apple Love) some of which Michael Finneran has caught, and the third is OCGD. OCGD has been eating away at my wallet for a long time. It's become a "thing." But you need to understand it.
Knocking down barriers to thinking and how we look at things is important in the GREENING or reducing our carbon footprint struggle. This requires an attitude change and a willingness to look at different perspectives. For companies, unless it (attitude change) comes from the top, forget about it. A reader was knocking CMP for not being green enough. Well, I differ. VoiceCon in Orlando exhibited signs of change. Even before that- BCR rolled everything into the web, no more magazine. No more ink, paper and what a nightmare it is to just think about what it must take to get and keep those presses rolling on time. Obviously the reader wasn't attentive to the resident alligators either. That's where certain customers get serviced efficiently, effectively and down to the bone if you catch my meaning.
In 2001, I didn't have a specific target goal in mind in our "power plan." But I want to review where we were in 2001; we were using 25,097 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity. By 2007, we pared our consumption down to 18,064 kWh. For 2008 we hope to be around 15,600 kWh. Now, today, I do have a target in mind. I want to get to 12,000 kWh, which is less than half of our 2001 usage. Is it possible? I think it is. We have a few unfinished projects that I just haven't gotten to yet. We still keep the business doors open for revenue so I can fund my ventures and of course keep the wolves away. Each of these projects involves efficiency and I've learned before moving from one energy efficiency project to the next that you do need patience. Waiting to measure the results over one, two and even three billing cycles should garner enough proof as to the effectiveness of your changes.
Getting to 12,000 kWh means using an average of 1,000 kWh monthly. In two or three years I should be at or below 1,000 kWh monthly. Technology changes coupled with the significant changes occurring in related energy research and the use of it is occurring at a rapid rate. In ten years I can see using 0 kWh all the time and then becoming a revenue center for selling to the grid instead of relying on it. But, this is maybe a barrier to overcome, since utility companies are setup to bill, not buy back. Excess generation of power is handled as "thank you for your contribution" in my state of Maryland. But I'm not too concerned yet, Maryland has a lot of other environmental initiatives and they are doing positive things to combat climate change (global warming) that even includes an employer telecommuter program.
Now we're only talking about dollars when you apply the math to my energy consumption situation. Again, what goes into the investment is akin to emptying your wallet, and what comes back slowly is a long anticipated ROI measurable in terms of intergenerational benefits and of course kudos for having reduced your energy footprint. Had I buried my head in the sand, it would've proved a lot less expensive, so it seems.
This OCGD thing is more than an exercise and of course it means spending hard earned dough. The process isn't easy, the burden is only heavy if you stop and think about the energy straightjacket, and in the goings on of trying to get greener- you end up making others crazy over what you think is right or better than the current churning of fossil fuels.
Recently, I learned my daughter has been active on the "Tree Hugger website." What have I done? She's sending me articles and making hints that I need to start buying and wearing bamboo clothing. I shot back, "I've already invested in bamboo linens- ask your Mother!"
Not long ago, one of my customers in health care told me about a family that lost their home because they could no longer afford to pay the utilities one month and miss the mortgage the next month. I don't think the story is unique and I do think that there's a significant population impacted by energy in our country. As this energy crisis continues to fuel debate, it sparks a continued climb in prices for businesses and individuals to bear, to a point that we will see ignited, probably the worst of human behavior yet to come. Even earlier in the year, Eric was investigating why Costa Rica has a high interest in No Jitter. I emailed the banana paper company with questions about their use of technology since my daughter brought to my attention that we all should be using banana paper. The company is based in Costa Rica and since I didn't get a reply, I won't speculate further on the traffic. But the process itself of making banana paper is interesting as is the product- but how much and what kind of energy is used in that process? This is a higher level of challenges for organizations contemplating sustainability.
Then, food prices everywhere- are climbing and it's debated as to whether or not it's chiefly due to increased energy costs? So, I guess what I'm asking, is for you to forgive my OCGD but know that I'm going to keep pestering you the readers and everyone else I know and come in contact with getting green, greener and greenest.
Over the weekend I read of a global company that didn't sit around debating energy, going green and whether or not it was feasible. What was interesting is the ability of companies to move towards and into sustainability. The green effort is just a lead into sustainability and the exercises of this disorder--according to skeptics--could just be too expensive for businesses. But the analysts are saying that greening efforts are in fact great for short-term profits and sustainability isn't a fad, it's here to stay. As the oil runs dry as the Russians are re-discovering; and new wells aren't being built as the Saudis have stated; and as US power companies come away dejected after being denied approval to build more coal fired plants- you too will adopt your mania or disorder soon enough.
Summary of Savings:
2007 savings over 2001 = 7,033 kWh = 23,997,592 BTUs = 4.13751586 Barrels of Crude Oil saved per year = 4.13751586 X Barrel Price of Crude = Annual $aving$
Expected Payback? If the property remains intergenerational, sometime in my daughter's lifetime, not mine unless of course, I can convince my neighbors to buy any excess power that I generate or the state PSC agrees to change excess power regulations governing reverse metering. For those of you even thinking about it- no, I'm not spiking my hair (OCGDD); and hair is a subject you don't dare get me started on, and besides- three disorders are enough for anyone to handle. Choose yours wisely.
