With great power comes great responsibility. This saying may not be original, but nowadays, it has become literally true. If we want to continue making full use of the energy and electricity God and human science have bestowed on us, we’d better know how to use it responsibly . . . or else! At the SMC Kapihan last quarter, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla revealed to Company executives the country’s target: 60% energy self-sufficiency by the year 2010. He noted that, through the years, the Philippines has been making progress in this endeavor, depending less and less on imported oil. On the power front, Lotilla added that government continues to implement the 2001 Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) with the aim of restructuring the power industry, such that power prices become transparent and reasonable, and that the welfare of power consumers is protected. But even as we head on down the road to greater power, we San Miguel employees will have to do our share in conserving energy. Here’s a list of energy conservation revelations that is by no means complete, but which can substantially bring us further down that road.

Lights can be natural At most of our facilities, we are already saving substantially on electricity by using fluorescent rather than incandescent bulbs. A 40-watt fluorescent lamp produces more light than a 100-watt incandescent bulb at half the cost.

However, you should always make it a habit to turn off unnecessary lights, such as those in unused areas. When you’re the last one to come out of a room, you ought to be the one to turn off the lights in that room.

And remember that lights can be natural. During daytime, you can always open the window blinds in order to allow natural light into the room. And as you may know by now, at the Head Office Complex, lights are out after 7 p.m. and are also turned off during lunch break.

Idle computers turn evil . . . after 30 minutes Turning a computer off—and then on again shortly after—normally wastes a lot of power. However, once 20 minutes has passed and a computer remains on and untouched, more power is used up than when you turn the PC off and on suddenly. Uh, get it? In short, if you won’t be using your PC for the next 20 minutes or more, better just turn it off.

A screen saver is an energy saver . . . not! Do you know that the most energy used by a computer comes from its monitor (about 80%)? Those cute cartoons, barkada photos or feel-good words of wisdom against a lush landscape on your monitor may be effective visual distractions for a boss or officemate who is frustrated by the fact that you’re not at your desk, but they just don’t save power! Again, please do what #3 says.

Stairs are good for the heart You don’t always need the elevator, especially when you’re going only one or two floors up or down. In such instances, you are therefore encouraged to take the stairs, and if you live a sedentary life like me, this is good for your heart and your physical conditioning. At the Head Office Complex, three of the elevators are only operational from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It’s cool to close the doors and windows To maximize an office airconditioner’s coolness without forcing it to work its engine off, all you have to do is keep the windows and the main doors closed, thus containing the cool air. You should also keep the air ventilation clear to allow proper air flow. It’s OK to be a little uncool Admit it. A little discomfort and sweat due to the lack of airconditioning is not going to cause you to keel over. So let’s bear with the fact that the centralized aircon is operational only from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s a small price to pay.

I’d like to end this piece with two quotes. One is from a U.S. congressman, Thomas H. Allen: “Energy conservation is the foundation of energy independence.” The second, perhaps more blunt one, is from the famous statesman-scientist Benjamin Franklin: “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” I guess the message is clear. Save energy, save yourself.