What happens on February 13th
February 13 is only the final date, the big party, of an event that Radio 2 has been promoting for about a month during the Caterpillar radio broadcast.
We are at the 2015 edition of the event that has become a symbol of energy saving in Italy, but not only, called "M'illumino di meno" ; the appointment for Friday 13 February and you really should not miss: just candles and your finger are enough, ready to turn off lights, lights, switches . The lighting of the monuments of the municipalities that adhere to the initiative, the squares, the shop windows, the offices and the public classrooms will also be extinguished.
If you turn off the lights that consume, you can instead leave all those lights that derive from renewable energy. Yes, because energy waste can be avoided, as taught by Radio Due, both starting from institutions, but also and above all starting from the bottom, from the choices that each one makes and from the example of individual citizens.
Municipalities, associations, schools, companies, shops and individual citizens are invited to propose their form of membership by writing to , briefly illustrating the good practices that are used throughout the year and explaining how you intend to join the Day of energy savings of 13 February 2015 (symbolic shutdowns, virtuous ignitions, awareness-raising activities).
On the Caterpillar website you can see who has signed up, download posters and graphics, listen to the hymns, watch the photogalley, watch the dedicated Web series and even find out, thanks to a test, what kind of light bulb you are!
Environmental education arrives in schools
Simple steps to save energy
Here are 3 simple tips to save energy at home, and not only to do good for the wallet but also for the environment.
- First and foremost, replacing incandescent or halogen bulbs with fluorescent or LED bulbs, they cost a little more but savings over time are guaranteed, since they last even longer; remember to clean the bulbs with a cloth at least once a year, the dust steals more light than you can imagine!
- Buy class A or A + appliances, perhaps initially more expensive, but which will not affect your monthly bill like the others. Turn off all the appliances that are not used, such as TVs, stereos or computers left on stand-by which in any case cause the counter to run: think that the modem is one of the objects that consumes the most when it is left unused!
- Finally, remember that there are still good good mechanical items : if there are two crumbs on the table or on the tablecloth, use the brush, not necessarily the aspirator; as well as the broom, which although old and outdated compared to the modern electric broom, still performs its function very well! And what about the electric toothbrush, the electric razor or the coffee machine? Can't really live without it?
Other more far-reaching techniques to achieve effective savings at home are the insulation of walls, in order to avoid heat loss, and the use of renewable sources such as photovoltaics.
How to celebrate the day of energy saving
Agenda in hand, invite many friends to your home: everyone will come with a tasty home made snack and a candle. The idea is to celebrate the day "M'illumino di meno" with an aperitif in the dark, or better, by candlelight ! It will be wonderful to enjoy a new, silent and romantic atmosphere together, without music but with voices, to feel part of a positive action for the Planet, to enjoy the relaxation that only the light of candles can give.
Why not? In turn you can read excerpts from books that talk about light, such as "The merchant of light" by Vecchioni, "The discovery of the shadow" by Roberto Casati, "The strange story of light and color" by Roberto Guzzi, " Brief history of light "by Richard Weiss, " The color of the moon. How we see and why "by Paola Bressan, or try your hand at Spanish and the original poetry of Salinas" 35 Bujìas "or 35 candles ... electric!
