Abba Jahnehoy Garden Rastafarian centre in Hope Gardens, Negril, which its owners believe is a model energy efficient building.
EARTH POWER
Janhoi Jaja and Mark Swain-bank believe their Abba Jahnehoy Garden Rastafarian centre in Good Hope, Negril, is a model of energy self-reliance.
Without Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) access they decided to go renewable and hired the services of Bluefields, Westmoreland-based Eco-Tec. At US$80,000 it was not cheap, but with 24 solar panels providing enough electricity to make them independent of the national grid, they believe it has been well worth it.
"It is completely within the philosophy of self-sufficiency within our culture and there is no more money that we will have to pay out in bills. This is a one-shot thing and we have a lot of energy-saving devices like light emitting diode bulbs and compact flourescent light bulbs and energy efficient refrigerators," said Mr. Jaja, who welcomes members of the public to come and view the building when it opens in August.
A draft national building code is currently looking to improve energy efficiency standards in developments including mandatory installation of solar water heaters.
In the United States homebuyers interested in energy saving can buy a government 'Energy Star' certified home, which are 30 per cent more efficient. Energy Star claims to have saved homeowners US$12 billion in 2005.
Meanwhile, in Jamaica consumers can benefit from buying goods marked with the Energy Star brand.
If you are someone who cannot go without travelling to work in a car and the thought of public transport disgusts you, then maybe you could consider car pooling? In many cities worldwide, rush-hour congestion makes the prospect of driving alone thereby worsening congestion unattractive.
In parts of the U.S., cars with more than one passenger are allowed to travel in 'high- occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, in which lone drivers are not allowed. In some cases lone drivers of hybrid and alternative vehicles are also allowed.
This encourages less vehicle traffic, which in theory means less congestion, lower petrol consumption and for those who share, a quicker commute.
Car pooling culture is especially well entrenched in California where drivers seek passengers to quicken their journey, although in a few cases more selfish drivers have placed blow-up dolls in their passenger seats to take advantage.
There are numerous websites dedicated to car pooling including those which connect drivers with prospective passengers.
SOME TIPS TO SAVE ON YOUR GAS MILEAGE
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking) wastes gas, lowering mileage on the road by 33 per cent and in city traffic, 33 per cent. Gas mileage decreases after 60 miles per hour.
Clear out your car since extra weight costs gas.
Go easy on the A/C. A little fresh air is good for you.
Keeping your tyres properly inflated and aligned can improve mileage by 3.3 per cent.
Walk.
SIMPLE STEPS TO SAVE ENERGY IN THE HOME
On the Jamaica Public Service Company website there is an energy calculator (http://www.jpsco.com/site.nsf/calculator?OpenForm) that allows you to calculate your domestic electricity use, and costs, for each of your appliances. This might prompt you to ask: "How and how much can I save?"
There are a number of simple convenient measures that should you follow them, should result in a lower JPS bill. Try adopting them and checking to see a reduction in your future bills. Here are a few tips:
Buy a solar water heater. This could reduce your light bill by a third and repay itself within three years. Operating costs are zero and the energy from the sun is free. If you use a conventional water heater keep it turned off , only turning it on 10 to 15 minutes before taking a shower.
Do not have a dark-coloured roof since it absorbs heat and places greater demand on air conditioning and fans.
Use you air conditioner sensibly, turning it off before you leave the house.
Where possible, set your appliances by timers to shut off, for instance with computers.
Install compact flourescent lights. Although more expensive, they are 10 times more efficient and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
For more information contact the PCJ Energy Efficiency Unit: 929-5380.
