Going Green

Personal Footprint
You can take steps to address your carbon emissions right now.
First you need to calculate the emissions you release from driving your car, your air travel, and the electricity you use in your home.
We'll then calculate how many carbon credits you need to offset your emissions. Our safe online payment process makes it easy for you to make a difference in just a few clicks.
You can also use the calculators to measure and offset flights, car trips and electricity associated with an event, such as a birthday or wedding celebration or honeymoon.
When you buy carbon credits through Climate Friendly, you're in effect putting renewable energy back into the power grid to replace the energy from fossil fuels that you have used.
Most of us do our best to address global warming by switching off lights and appliances, reducing our waste and walking or cycling more. But the global average emissions for an individual remains 5 tonnes a year, rising to 28 tonnes in countries such as the US and Australia.
Climate Friendly helps you to take immediate and meaningful action against global warming - contributing to an effective, long-term solution.
20 tips for energy saving
You don't need to be a Climate Friendly customer to reduce your carbon emissions. Here's 20 tips to get you started.
Buy renewable energy. Make the switch to save around 30% of your household greenhouse gas emissions a year.
Drive less. Cars contribute to a high percentage of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. Before getting into your car, think about walking, riding your bike or taking public transport instead. It's better for your health and the planet.
Turn off lights and switch your bulbs. Turning off the lights when you leave a room or office and switching to compact fluorescent bulbs can make a big difference to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And it saves you money in energy costs.
Insulate your home and body. Look for ways to keep warm in winter without heating. Insulate ceilings, walls and your hot water heater, and wear a coat instead of turning up the heat.
Open the window, turn off the air conditioning. Air-conditioning is a great contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In summer, open your window, use a fan instead of air-conditioning, and always turn off air-conditioning when not at home.
Switch off standby. As much as 10% of your home's emissions may be from appliances like computers, televisions and other home entertainment devices left on standby. Try to always turn off appliances at the source.
Conserve water. Use less water when possible. Install a rainwater tank or even a grey water system that channels water from showers and baths to toilet and garden systems.
Fly less. Take international trips sparingly and make the most of local destinations. Do business remotely via conferencing units or online conferencing applications. This will mean fewer flights, less travel time and savings of up to 10 tonnes of emissions per international trip. If you need to fly, consider offsetting your flight emissions.
Use alternatives to electricity. Switching to solar hot water or gas heating can save as much as 3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
Buy efficiency. When buying high energy-using equipment or appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers, try to choose the item with the best energy rating.
Dry washing outside. One t-shirt can send 4 kg of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during its lifetime, mostly due to washing and drying. Whenever possible, use the power of the sun or a clothes horse instead of the dryer.
Choose a hybrid, biodiesel or fuel-efficient car. When buying your next car, make the move to a greener vehicle. It can save up to 3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
Work from home. Even one day a month working from home can make a difference by reducing transport emissions. Ask your boss if you can work from home occasionally and skip the commute.
Pay bills online. Paying your bills online saves paper, transport energy and time.
Own just one refrigerator. Old, inefficient second refrigerators and freezers are huge energy users and often have other environmental issues such as leaking chemicals that damage the ozone layer. If you don't really need it, look into local buy-back schemes or dispose of old refrigerators and freezers properly to ensure ozone-depleting chemicals are not released into the atmosphere.
Eat lower on the food chain. Producing meat uses a lot of energy and water and often requires pesticides and other chemicals. In fact, producing meat generates about 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Eating less meat is good for you and the environment.
Buy local. Buy food and other products that are grown and produced locally to reduce emissions from transportation and to support your local community.
Green your event. If you are holding a conference, family reunion or wedding, do what you can to reduce the environmental impact by buying locally, choosing energy-efficient and environmentally aware venues, and offsetting remaining emissions.
Buy recycled and 'vintage'. Buying used or recycled goods avoids the energy used and emissions released in making a new product. Always try to recycle your waste and unwanted goods.
Check your tires. Inflating your car's tyres to their proper level means the car runs more efficiently, uses less energy and produces fewer harmful emissions

Energy Management

July newsletter
In the news today - Energy University - Supply Chain Simplification Project - Customer Care Centre - The Power of Business - What's on - General Comments and suggestions welcome, kindly email your response to the address below Email: belinda.aslett@za.schneider-electric.com Website: http://www.schneider-electric.co.za/ http://www.myenergyuniversity.com/
Schneider Electric launches Energy University to drive Energy Management Awareness and Education Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, today announced the debut of Energy University™ by Schneider Electric, a vendor-neutral, on-line educational community that provides the fundamentals needed to implement successful energy efficient solutions scaling various applications. The courses are designed to provide anyone involved in the decision-making, management, planning, design, or construction of a space impacted by energy, a level of expertise to address efficiency issues and apply safe, reliable and cost effective measures. Visit http://www.myenergyuniversity.com/
Supply Chain Simplification Project
Schneider Electric has launched a Supply Chain Simplification Project and in order to achieve these objectives the Clipsal Bloemfontein and Durban branch warehouses have been consolidated into the JHB warehouse, and George warehouse consolidated into the Port Elizabeth warehouse. All sales orders for these three regions have to be placed with our Customer Care Centre in Midrand, JHB. Direct access numbers for the Customer Care Centre Tel: 011 254 6550 Fax: 011 254 6700 / 6704 / 6712 The direct email address for the placing of New Clipsal Orders is ccc@za.schneider-electric.com
Customer Care Centre To continuously improve our customer service we have implemented the following: Self Help Tool: This gives our customers access to the Schneider Electric ERP system via the internet, and enables customers to check the status of their orders, stock availability, pricing as well as invoice and account information. For access rights and training, Pro-active information: Customers will receive an automatic notification if we cannot meet our first scheduled delivery date and will then be advised of the new delivery date. This tool will be available soon. Contact Mike Phillips, 011 254 6625 or mike-b.phillips@za.schneider-electric.com
The Power of Business - on Summit TV As Eskom confirms the 31.3% tariff increase and talks of Punitive Tariffs being implemented to those users who do not remain within a predefined energy usage limit, has caused industry and the public to sit up and take notice of their energy consumption. Watch as we unpack these issues and discuss the big challenges faced by various industries from building and retail to mining now forced to take active steps in order to save power. For weekly programme updates and vodcast of the interviews, visit http://www.schneider-electric.co.za/
What's on... Decorex show 6 - 10 August at Gallagher Convention Estate, Midrand JHB Clipsal national road shows during the month of August - October Wiser - new product launch end August
General Clipsal Durban branch has moved and from 3rd August their new contact details are: 270 Brickfield Road Overport Durban New telephone number: 031 268 1111 New fax number: 031 268 1140 Congratulations to the Clipsal Port Elizabeth branch for selling the most promo packs in the Clipsal Livingreen promotion and to Grant Christian nominated as the top salesman for the Livingreen promotion. Well done!