Climate Change Responsibility

Like It or NOT

Man-made carbons are irrefutably the largest contributor to climate change. More kWh savings means more carbon savings, and climate change is unquestionable, now more than ever, even for the skeptics.
Irrespective of where you live, there is evidence of climate change. Whether it be in the western or eastern cape facing the worst droughts in a hundred years, the higher than usual temperatures in Gauteng, the storms in Europe, the increasing number and ferocity of hurricanes and tropical storms, the rising sea levels, it is happening.
It is almost certainly the biggest challenge facing humanity, as the consequences will always hit the poor hardest.
With South African’s burgeoning population, the consequences of shortage of water, will result in higher food prices for staples and potentially food insecurity, a huge inconvenience and incalculable cost.

At the same time, we, the consumers continue to use electricity where for every kWh produced, Eskom pump out over 1 kg in carbon emissions. In terms of the home, hot water is the biggest culprit, being typically between 35%-60% of the monthly electricity bill, and carbon footprint.
Put another way, 1 kWh will heat 36 litres of water to 40°C, being the temperature most people shower at. As the average shower uses 16 litres per minute, a 10-minute shower will result in around 4,5 kgs of carbon being pushed into the atmosphere.
With a home of 4 people using around 130 litres of hot water per person per day, the carbon footprint from water heating per home is over 5 tons of carbon per year.
The easiest way to reduce a home’s carbon footprint is to go solar, where solar water heating can replace 100% of the electricity used in heating water and the carbons produced by Eskom.

Eskom consume about 1 litre of water for every kWh they produce.
With a home going solar, Eskom would save (in water consumption), the equivalent of one of those large JoJo water tanks of 5,000 litres every year per household.
Put another way, that is the equivalent of 100 days allowable per person water use (at 50 litres per person per day), by the residents in Cape Town (under the current restrictions).
While every home can always save water, it does directly affect daily living. Going solar will help Eskom save water, which in turn can be used for more important areas.

Wising up to the benefits of going renewable, saving money, saving electricity, saving carbon emissions, saving water are all reasons why everyone needs to consider solar water heating and in the future solar electric generation, sooner rather than later.