The power of one
Did you know the average Australian home pumps out eight tonnes of greenhouse polluting carbon dioxide every year? That’s a pretty large amount when multiplied by the 6 million homes across Australia. So just by cutting down on your power usage at home you can prevent a lot of damage to our environment (not to mention your wallet!).
Changing the way you use energy doesn’t have to be a big deal – it can be as easy as switching appliances off at the power point or buying some new light bulbs. Here are ten easy things you can do everyday to cut your energy costs and help the environment:
- Make the switch – Leaving appliances on standby wastes a lot of energy. So turn your TV, DVD player, microwave and stereo off at the switch when you’re not using them.
- Be a star – Always purchase appliances with the lowest Energy Star rating.
- Cool it - Fridges and freezers account for a large portion of household energy use because they run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ensuring they are running efficiently can save a lot of energy and money. Set your fridge to 5°C and leave sufficient room around the top and back of the fridge (around the coils) to allow hot air to escape. Defrost the freezer regularly and set the temperature to -18°C. If you have an old second fridge or beer fridge around the place that you don’t use much, consider getting rid of it. It could be costing you over $200 a year on your energy bill.
- Fill up – A half-filled dishwasher or washing machine often uses the same amount of energy as a full load. So why not wait until you have enough to fill them up instead?
- Get enlightened - Lighting uses lots of energy. Get into the habit of switching lights off when you leave a room, or better still, replace your ordinary incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents. They provide just as much light for 25% of the power.
- Use your head - AAA-rated shower heads use as little as seven litres a minute compared to 20 litres from an ordinary shower head.
- Go solar – Solar water heaters (with an efficient booster for cloudy days) can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
- Chill out – Use cold water instead of hot water whenever you can. For example, wash clothes in cold water using a cold water detergent, and use cold water for rinsing any dishes.
- Get a bit of RRR – Everything you consume takes energy to produce so Refuse excess packaging, Re-use what you can and Reduce the amount you buy. If all else fails recycle.
- Go green – Most energy suppliers now provide accredited green power options, which means you can choose to get all or part of your energy from a clean renewable resource like wind or solar. For more information contact your energy supplier or visit www.greenpower.com.au.