Rational use

Saving and conserving energy have been two of the main issues related to the rise of sustainable development. The question now is not only how to generate energy without damaging the environment but to pursue sustainable practices which also bring improvements to society as a whole.

The shortage of energy in Brazil has caused some serious problems in its recent history. These arose mainly from the lack of planning and investments in generating and distributing energy in the country.

The famous blackout crisis of 2001 forced the Brazilian citizen to save energy to prevent another major blackout like that which occurred on March 11, 1999 and affected 70% of Brazil and part of Paraguay. This blackout left approximately 50 million people without power and the sector calculated the loss at around R$ 320 per person.

The rational use of energy is as important as its production. The loss of this valuable resource leaves the Brazilian economy and environment with a bill to pay. For this reason, Santo Antônio Energia has prepared some easy tips to reeducate our habits on how each person can help use energy resources in a better way. These are simple attitudes which help build a better society for everyone.


At home

Avoid using electro-domestic appliances between 18:00 and 21:00. This is the peak period when consumption of energy is at its highest and public and home lighting is switched on. If everyone reduced the use of electricity during this period, consumption would be more evenly balanced throughout the day.

In the kitchen

•  Cook with the minimum heat.

•  Cover pans when cooking and take advantage of the heat which would simply be lost in the air.

•  The refrigerator is responsible for around 30% of the total power consumption of a home. Before cooking, remove all the ingredients at once and avoid opening and closing the door.

•  Keep your fridge or freezer far from the cooker so you will not need more energy to offset the high surrounding temperature. Keep them at least 15 cm from the walls to avoid overheating.

•  Never leave clothes or running shoes to dry behind them. This increases energy consumption as the clothes prevent the heat from the motor from dispersing and it needs to remain switched on for longer to cool the refrigerator.

•  The electric switch uses the same amount of energy as one of the champions of electricity consumption: the shower. Try not to wash dishes with hot water.

•  Use the microwave oven in an intelligent way. For example, two plates can be cooked at the same time if you use a proper support.

Dishwashers use a lot of energy to heat the water. For this reason, always wash at the lowest possible temperature (50°-55°C in the savings program). Do not leave food to accumulate on the plates as they will need a higher washing temperature. Use the correct amount of soap or detergent so as not to rinse again.

In the Laundry

•  A washing machine consumes from 2% to 5% of the total home consumption. Use the washing machine only when it is full.

•  Should you really have to use it with half capacity, choose ways of using less water.

•  When drying clothes, use the dryer at its maximum capacity and avoid wasting  energy.

•  The iron is responsible for over 5% of the electricity bill of a home.

•  Avoid ironing a few clothes at a time. Most of the energy used in ironing clothes is spent during the time the iron is heating up so wait until there is a reasonable amount and iron it all in one go.

In the Bathroom

•  The electric shower is responsible for around 25% of residential consumption.

•  Limit the time spent under the hot water to the minimum and do not try to test how hot the water is as this increases consumption.

•  On hot days, keep the temperature dial at the "summer" position (consumption at the  "winter" position is about 30% greater).

Other Electro-domestic appliances

•  Vacuum cleaner : do not use more than twice a week as it can consume more than a TV or computer, unlikely as this may seem. Always keep the filters clean.

•  Hair dryer: it uses as much energy as a washing machine. Only use the maximum potential when absolutely necessary. On hot days dry your hair in the sun - it is healthier to do so.

In the supermarket

•  Use a bag for shopping. Disposable plastic bags are great enemies of the environment as they not only release carbon gas and methane during their production but they also pollute the soil and sea.

•  Buy food produced in your region since this not only saves fuel but you are encouraging growth in your community, district or town.

Small Actions can make a big difference

•  Use the car less and public transport more (bus, metro) or clean transport (bicycle or walk). If you leave the car at home twice a week, you will not emit 700 kilos of pollutants a year.

•  To go up two flights or down three why not use the stairs? As well as getting some exercise you will save electrical energy in the lifts.

•  Rechargeable batteries are more expensive but they are well worth it in the medium and long term. They last years and can be recharged an average of 1,000 times.

•  Choose electro-domestic appliances which consume little energy. In Brazil, look for appliances with the Procel seal for domestic products and the Energy Star for imports.

•  Use an overhead fan. It is not always so hot that the air conditioner needs to be switched on. An overhead fan is ideal in most cases and uses 90% less energy. Combining the use of both is also a good idea. Regulate your air conditioner and switch on the overhead fan.

•  Change your luminous lights for fluorescent ones. Lighting is responsible for around 20% of total home consumption. The more powerful lights consume more energy. Fluorescent lamps use 60% less energy than luminous. As a result, you will save 136 kilos of carbon gas annually.

•  Recycle at work and home. If your town or district does not have a selective collective system, take your waste to a collection post - find out where they are located in your town. Remember that recyclable material must be washed (in the case of plastics, glass and metals) and folded (paper).

•  Use the phone or Internet at work so you can avoid the cost of making unnecessary trips back and forth.

•  Fly less and meet by videoconference.

•  Switch off the computer if you are going to be away from it for more than two hours  and the screen for up to 15 minutes.

•  In the office, switch off the air conditioning an hour before leaving. This is equivalent to 12.5% of daily savings over an eight-hour period, and is equivalent to almost a month´s savings at the end of the year.