So, power-cuts have finally knocked on each and every Nepali household. The latest power-cut schedule has been released and we Nepalese are far from happy about it. The 37 hour per week power cut will be in effect from December 5th, 2011, and the number of hours per week are on the rise.
So how can we stop this darkness from spreading further? The first and foremost option is to save electricity. The normal filament bulbs (top) need a lot of electricity as compared to the Compact Fluorescent bulbs (bottom).
More CFL bulbs needs to replace filament bulbs. In doing so, a lot of electricity can be saved. To give an accurate idea of how much a CFL bulb saves, we can compare the electricity usage of both bulbs. A 13 watt CFL bulb is equivalent to a 60 watt filament bulb. Now imagine the amount of electricity saved when hundreds and thousands of filament bulbs are replaced by CFL bulbs.
The power-cuts can definitely be put to an end. Nepal is the world’s second richest country in terms of water resources, therefore, the prospect of hydroelectricity is colossal! There are innumerable rivers, lakes and streams throughout the country. If effective manpower is combined with the latest hydroelectricity technology, power-cuts can be the easiest problem to solve.
If such steps are taken, and everything falls into play, we could see Kathmandu like this every single day.
I had a vague notion that different geographical locations around the world did not have constant and continuous access to electricity, but I don't think I realized that Nepal cities and villages were involved. I have had a taste of what it's like to be cut off from electricity over the years (and most recently after the early October snowstorm in Caldwell), but I've never had to endure an organized and continual cut off from electricity. It seems like so many things, especially in the 21st century, are tied to electricity that it is all but impossible to suggest anything but solutions that improve access to or use of electricity. But I wonder if there might be another kind of more global solution? Something that encourages electricity to be accessible to all no matter what their geographic location.
ReplyDeleteThis is a sad reality that I, as an American, have never heard of. It's horrible to think that they want to cut electricity in the cities of Nepal. It almost seems like the fiction of 1984, or the City of Ember. I feel pain for the people of Nepal, knowing that they have to deal with these hardships. The only thing is, CFL bulbs do cost a lot more money, and can be dangerous due to the gasses inside of them.
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