Sustainable Consumption: Electricity & Water

Study Notes

Electricity is generated from nuclear reactions, burning fossil fuels, or renewable sources like solar, wind, and water.
Fossil fuels (e.g., natural gas, oil, coal) are non-renewable resources that emit harmful gases, causing pollution and health problems.
Renewable sources include solar energy from the sun, hydroelectricity from flowing water, and wind energy harnessed by turbines.

Safe drinking water is free of disease-causing pathogens and has zero E.coli count.
South Africa faces water shortages due to inconsistent rainfall, costly infrastructure development, and increasing water demand from population growth and industries.
Desalination, removing salt and minerals from seawater, is expensive and energy-intensive, with environmental implications.
Water pollution sources include domestic sewage, marine dumping, industrial waste, oil spills, mining activities, and agricultural runoff.
Preventing water pollution involves turning off taps, responsible waste disposal, reducing pesticide use, and avoiding littering.

Three levels of government in South Africa: national, provincial, and municipal.
Municipalities are responsible for social and economic upliftment, providing basic services, engaging the community, and managing municipal affairs.
Municipal income comes from government grants, service charges, and primarily from property tax (rates).
Essential municipal services include water supply, electricity/gas, sewage, refuse removal, health services, road maintenance, street lighting, parks, and recreation.
Additional services may include libraries, fire fighting, fresh food markets, and tourism promotion, depending on the budget.
Community responsibilities include submitting complaints, staying informed, attending council meetings, paying fees, respecting municipal rights, complying with by-laws, collaborating with NGOs, and following proper procedures.

Contracts can be tacit (implied), verbal, or written.
Legal contract elements include offer and acceptance, legality, specified legal consideration, legal capacity of parties, and free consent.
Consumer-relevant contracts include employment, insurance (short-term and long-term), credit (mortgages, loans, installments), rental/lease, subscription (gym, cell phone, internet, DSTV), and business ownership/partnership agreements.

Consumers have a 5-day cooling-off period to cancel contracts without reason or financial implications.
Exemption clauses release one party from liability if they fail to meet the contract's terms.
Legal exemption clauses are acceptable, while illegal ones impose unfair conditions on the consumer.

Unfair practices encompass offering goods/services at unreasonable prices/terms, making false/misleading statements, requesting consumers to waive rights, and engaging in practices detrimental to consumers.

Warranties are written guarantees to repair or replace a product if it malfunctions within a specified period, including extended warranties for longer coverage.
Guarantees are manufacturer's assurances of a product's functionality for a specific time.
Money-back guarantees allow customers to return products for a refund if unsatisfied within a certain period.

Grey goods/parallel imports are products a manufacturer doesn't intend for a specific market but end up there through unofficial channels.
Grey goods are often sold at lower prices, but might lack local warranties or after-sales support.