Conserving Fuel !

Thumbs up to all of you who made the ‘Fuel conservation Event ‘successful. I was having a look at the photos and saw the beautiful posters and slogans designed by you guys, and I must say you all are highly creative. Suddenly it crossed my mind that at an individual level, what else can I do to save energy? I did a self analysis and found that I generally switch off the engine at signals and also avoid long idles. Then I asked few of my friends and found that many of us know these few tips and we often try to implement them, but there are few other ways as well which can help in fuel conservation. I browsed through net and found few articles on fuel conservation and tips to save energy. Just sharing that with you all guys as I think these tips can be followed by us in our daily travel.

Avoid High Speeds: I guess most of us would have made that needle cross the 100 km/hr mark on our speedometer, especially when driving on highways, and it may also have helped us to reach our destination before time. But let me tell you a fact that as your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving at 100 km/h vs 120 km/hr will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

Keep Windows Closed : As we don’t follow the norm of ‘DRIVE SLOW’ on highways, we should at least follow a small tip of not keeping windows open, as that increases drag and results in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%. Also maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves fuel.

Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard: I have seen many bikers just pressing the accelerator in full swing as soon as the signal gets green and then applying hard brakes as they are stuck in traffic. Please avoid rapid accelerating. Relax your driving style and when you use the accelerator, use it gently. By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.

Avoid Heavy Loads: Now this doesn’t mean that you keep enquiring about the weight of whoever sits in your car or throw someone out of your car as soon as you feel it is overloaded.:) Like if you are not using your roof-racks, take them off! They add to drag. Unnecessary weight in your car can also take away from good fuel mileage.

Avoid Long Idles: Most cars nowadays no longer need to warm up to run. If you are waiting for someone or stopped at a signal, for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.

Few more things which I follow before I even get on the road as that helps in great fuel conservation.

Service Vehicle Regularly: Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels. This should be strictly followed for the bikes which are parked outside the D hostel. :)

Keep Tyres Properly Inflated: Check tyre pressure regularly, keep them aligned and inflated properly because having tyres with low pressure can increase the use of fuel by 5%.

Hope these tips would be helpful to everyone, although you can always search for more about this. More awareness about such facts would result in more fuel conservation. Thanx All!

Chhavi Raina

SCIT-SSR

Lead by example!

I was sitting by the window and sipping hot tea on a cold cloudy afternoon. The skies were overcast and it seemed very likely that we would have a downpour. Pune is famous for the beautiful rains that you witness in the monsoon season. I smiled to myself that I was living in a place that people loved to call "A respite from the heat" during summer time. But suddenly my smile faded. I realized that something was bothering me at the back of my mind. What was it?

The overcast sky that wouldn't pour?

The traffic clogging the narrow lane in front of my house increasing pollution levels?

Or was it the repeated honking of impatient office folk returning home?

As a matter of fact, yes. It was all of this and more.

Could I not save my city from the dust and dirt that was piling up on its streets? Could I not tell people to be more responsible and drop trash into rubbish bins that decorated the sidewalks? Honking only when necessary, was this not supposed to be the way vehicle owners behaved? Everyone knows this. Each one of us is aware of his environmental duties yet we conveniently ignore them.

Is there no end to this continuous thoughtless destruction of Mother Nature? Questions are easier to ask but did you know you could be the answer to all of them and inspire others to follow? Yes. Lead by example. If you want to change the way people treat our environment, begin with yourself.

I rose from my chair and walked to the door. Climbed down the staircase and out into the open street, lifted a discarded Bisleri bottle from the footpath and tossed it into the trash can. At the end of the street two teenagers were munching on burgers and looked up. Would they not do what I silently preached? They walked away, turned and disappeared round the corner. But I knew. From their ways, I knew I had made a mark. I was the change I wanted to see in the world. A small effort for sure, but a significant one at that.

SCIT SSR aims to bring about this change in attitude of today's youth to preserve Mother Earth for generations to come. Angelic as it may seem, the "Earth Warriors" as they call themselves, have pledged to create awareness among general public regarding various environmental issues.

Be the change you want to see in the world! Go SCITians!

Eeshwari Bollapragada
SCIT - SSR

The 'Save Fuel' Activity at Wakad!

30-06-2010

The day when some of the SCIT Earth Warriors assembled for a cause and made a difference!

With about 75 volunteers, we went to the Wakad Bridge signals, and spread the light. We covered almost every segment of the road population, right from the people travelling in posh BMWs & Volkswagens, to the autowallahs and the truck drivers. We requested them to switch off their engines on red lights and when stuck in traffic jams.

The unbounded enthusiasm and passion that the students reflected helped commuters realize their responsibilities of saving the Mother Earth!

Enough of words... A glimpse of the activity will help you relate to it in a better manner.

Discussing the course of action


The Volunteer Team


Ready to do wonders


At Wakad











Posters on display


Some had already switched off their engines


While to get them turned off for some others was an ordeal in itself


An Earth Warrior at WORK


Some already knew about the cause


While some on a little persuasion, willingly contributed


The Signature Campaign


Smiles all around


Jubilating, after returning to the college

What did we get in return?

Some smiles and nods, some appreciation, some pats on our back, but most importantly, the immense satisfaction of contributing to a good cause.

This is the strength of SCIT- its unanimity! Let's get together, with all our might, to bring about a change for the betterment of this world, however small it may be.

Rock on, Earth Warriors!

Aditi Nawani
SCIT-SSR