If everyone cuts their annual electricity consumption by two per cent, a total of 800 million kilowatt-hours will be saved, which could ensure a year's power supply to 183,000, three-member families, says an environmental organisation. According to Friends of the Earth (FoE), Hong Kong's domestic electricity consumption rose by 80 per cent over the past 15 years, although the number of households grew by only 43 per cent. Hong Kong has no energy-intensive industries, but its per capita electricity consumption ranks fourth in the region, behind Japan, South Korea and Russia. The green group blames the city's electricity wastage on the government's failure to sufficiently promote energy-saving methods among the public. The rapid rise in electricity consumption has led to increased emissions of air pollutants and higher urban temperatures. To raise people's awareness of the need to save energy, FoE is inviting every household and school to join the Power-Smart contest, which requires participants to reduce their electricity consumption by at least two per cent from June to August compared with the same period last year. The biggest savers will be awarded energy-saving washing machines and lights, light-powered wristwatches and organic chicken soup sachets. It is estimated that cutting Hong Kong's annual electricity consumption by two per cent would lead to a reduction of more than 600,000 tonnes of carbon-dioxide emissions, which have been blamed for the city's worsening air pollution. The power-saving competition is divided into two groups - family and school. The participants should come up with and implement their own energy-saving measures. They must submit a copy of their electricity bills on or before September 10 to prove that they have reduced their power consumption. FoE has suggested the following energy-saving tips: Set the air conditioner at 25 degrees Celsius and turn it up slightly five to 10 minutes before switching it off to maintain air circulation. Put your computer in Sleep Mode so that it will switch off automatically after sitting idle for five or 10 minutes. This could save a lot of electricity used up by your computer. Use energy-saving light bulbs which emit heat at a rate three times lower than ordinary bulbs, saving 70 to 80 per cent electricity. For more tips, visit www.foe.org.hk
