lifestyle research

We use different energy sources to work for us. There are two sources of energy that we depend on: renewable and nonrenewable energy. Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural sources which is constantly renewed. Some examples of renewable energy is wind, water, sun, vegetation, and geothermal. Meanwhile, Nonrenewable energy comes from natural resources that are unable to be replenished like, fossil fuels, oil, gas, and coal.
In the Philippines, The country uses its own natural resources as their sources of energy an example of these would be oil, natural gas and coil including others that can be harnessed like geothermal energy and hydroelectricity. According to the DENR, The country's slow rate of utilization of these natural resources ensures that they will be available for generations to come. Energy Conservation is unquestionably of great importance to all of us, since we rely on it for everything we do every single day in our lives. We need to understand that Energy supplies are limited and to maintain a good quality of life, we must find ways to use energy wisely. Also reducing the amount of energy that we use is a good way to save money and there are also other benefits to decreasing energy consumption. As natural resources used to produce energy become scarce, the cost of energy will most likely increase. Not only we are running out of some valuable natural resources, but we are also destroying the environment in the process of using them. In this research paper I will discuss how energy conservation can lessen the impact on nature. On the questionnaire given to us, the three highest categories I got were Waste production, Electric Consumption and Water Consumption. Throughout this research I will discuss on how I can lessen my impact on nature by proposing ways to conserve energy as an individual and as a student.

Water Consumption
Every day as I woke up I use and flush a toilet, take a bath, brush my teeth all with water running inside the house. I feel good and blessed that there is abundant supply of water at home. Living in a tropical country like the Philippines, I usually take a bath twice a day, one in the morning and in the evening before going to sleep; I last for about 30 minutes in the shower and I use the faucet and toilet for approximately 4 times a day. I have a bad habit of keeping the water going while brushing my teeth and sometimes when taking a bath I let the shower open while soaping and etc. There are 10 people residing in our house and I just can’t imagine how much water we consume daily. As much as possible I don’t like to take advantage of its use but just like other people I tend to forget the importance of water.
As we all know, here in the Philippines we use hydroelectric power. It is where Flowing water creates energy that can be captured and turned into electricity. In this case it gives us a major reason why we should practice conserving water.

This image shows the percentage usage of water. It is not a surprise that toilets got the highest percentage next to bathing since we frequently use it most of the time. We use the flush every time we pee and imagine how much water it consumes with every single flush.

Average daily consumption = 1.30

This statistical data is our monthly water consumption bill. As you can see the month of November, February, May and June are the ones with the highest consumption of water.

Waste Consumption
According to Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Residents of Metro Manila generate so much garbage that they are responsible for one-fourth of the country’s daily output of solid waste, A single resident produces an average of 0.7 kilogram of waste a day, the DENR said Metro Manila produced about 8,400 to 8,600 tons of trash per day.
In our house we don’t practice waste segregation and composting. Food, plastics, paper, tissue waste, etc. are put together in a plastic and these wastes are collected by dump trucks and end up at the landfill. I know that most of the people practice the same as we do since not everyone is fully aware on how to properly conserve wastes at home. Although in our school, we do practice segregation. We have garbage containers that are separated into papers, recyclable, non - recyclable, plastic etc. which I think this is a good way of handling waste but most of the time people do not follow.
Improper management of solid waste is one of the main causes of environmental pollution and health problems. From the World Health organization, it was determined that the dumpsites expose people to unacceptable levels of environmental pollution with adverse health impact.

Table 2 highlights the main sources of solid waste, the waste generators, and types of solid waste generated.
Sources
Typical waste generators
Types of solid waste
Residential
Single and multifamily dwellings
Food wastes, paper, cardboard, plastics, textiles, glass, metals, ashes, special wastes (bulky items, consumer electronics, batteries, oil, tires) and household hazardous wastes
Commercial
Stores, hotels, restaurants, markets, office buildings
Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food wastes, glass, metals, special wastes, hazardous wastes
Institutional
Schools, government center, hospitals, prisons
Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food wastes, glass, metals, special wastes, hazardous wastes
Municipal services
Street cleaning, landscaping, parks, beaches, recreational areas
Street sweepings, landscape and tree trimmings, general wastes from parks, beaches, and other recreational areas

The growing use of waste to energy as a method to dispose of solid and liquid wastes and generate power has greatly reduced environmental impacts of municipal solid waste management, including emissions of greenhouse gases.
Electric Consumption
Now-a-days electricity has become common in the world. Everybody sees the wonderful work of electricity. The lights on the streets are lit by the electric current. Electric fans and airconditioner are used in every house. Trains are run by the electric power. So, electricity is no longer a strange thing for us people in this generation. But despite several electricity sources, there are still bunch of problems that occur such as electricity shortage and high price somewhat due to increase of demand and company expenses.
Electricity plays an important role in my life. I don’t think I would ever survive without it. In my everyday life, I consume electricity through different ways. First, the lightning in our house are supported by electricity. I usually use it the whole evening since I’m the type of person who can’t sleep without the lights on. Second I consume electricity through the use of airconditioner, it works every night and sometimes in the afternoon whenever we feel the need to use it. Third, we use electricity for our gadgets like cellphones, laptops and etc. I charge my mobile phone twice a day as well as my laptop but now that I am dealing with thesis I usually use my laptop more often than before.
According to NSO Household sector consumed 8,134 Gigawatt hours of electricity. A total of 8,134 gigawatt hours (GWH) of electricity were consumed by households in the country. This is an increase of 1,289 GWH, or 18.8 percent, during the 6 year period. This reflects an average of 215 GWH per year.

This table is our monthly electric bill at home the average usage for 12 months 483 kWh per month P 193.95 per day. As I have mentioned earlier there are 10 people residing in our house and it’s no surprise if we consume electricity this high.

Recommendation
Water conservation
I can lessen my impact on nature by conserving water through these different ways.
1. I will turn off the faucet while brushing my teeth and taking
2. I will take shorter showers than the usual 30 minutes.
3. I won't let the water run unabated while washing the dishes or when not in use.
4. I will use dipper from pail instead of running water from shower when taking a bath
5. I will use recycled water for flushing toilet bowls.

Reducing our use of water will decrease water pollution, increase energy savings, and create more efficient use of our water resources. The water supply is finite, and it is the only water supply we will ever have. The water we use in our kitchens and bathrooms does not ensure us endless supply of safe, clean water. So it is essential that we do everything we can to sustain it, keep it clean and protects its sources
Waste Conservation
I can lessen my impact on nature by managing waste through these different ways.
1. REDUCE – I will reduce the amount of garbage in our house to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with our household waste.

2. RECYCLE – I will Increase the portion of our waste that we put in the recycle bin. I will also make sure that we stay informed about the types of waste that our waste collector will accept in the recycling bin and think of ways we can make it easier to make sure those materials end up in the recycling bin and not in the garbage.

3. REUSE – I will make sure that we reuse of scrap material and reuse products for the same purpose.

Electric onservation
By practicing conservation, we can reduce the amount we pay and save on electricity. I can also lessen my impact on nature by managing waste through these different ways.
1. I will turn the lights off in unoccupied areas
2. I will make sure the refrigerator’s door is sealed tightly.
3. I will use energy-efficient light bulbs and replace all incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
4. I will unplug everything since appliances and electronics continue sapping electricity as long as they're plugged in, even when their switches are turned off.
5. I will reduce my reliance on appliances.
6. I will encourage my parents to replace our appliances with energy-efficient models
7. I will use electric fans instead of Airconditioner if not necessarily needed.

Reference

Kristine L. Alave ( August 2011) Matro Manila produce a fourth of Philippine garbage http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/42317/metro-manila-produces-a-fourth-of-philippine-garbage
United Nations Environment Program ( July 2010) http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/spc/state_of_waste_management/2.asp
(2013) Njoroge G. Kimani Environmental Pollution and Impacts on Public Health http://www.unep.org/urban_environment/pdfs/dandorawastedump-reportsummary.pdf
Waste minimization http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_minimisation
(2013) What are some ways to reduce? http://www.environmentalistseveryday.org/solid-waste-management/environment-friendly-waste-disposal/waste-reduction.php
(2013) how to use less electricity http://www.which.co.uk/energy/saving-money/guides/how-to-use-less-electricity/measuring-your-energy-consumption/