Saving Energy

6 Quick and Easy Ways

There are loads of ways of saving energy around the home, some virtually free and some at a cost. For things you can consider right now, without even hitting the bank balance, check out the 6 free and easy measures listed below...

1. Check your Globes
How many energy efficient compact fluorescent globes do you have?
Australia will soon will phasing out incandescent light globes because they are such an inefficient method of lighting. Halogen downlights are also large consumers of energy, so use task lighting when you can for increased ambience and lower bills.
Switch off the lights- only keep lights on in the rooms that you are using, and teach your kids to do same.

2. Put on a Jumper!!
Sounds simple, but more and more of us crank up the thermostat rather than put on another layer. Keep your heating to about 18-19 degrees (celsius) and go grab a jumper. Even better find a friend and have a snuggle on the couch under a blanket!

3. Shorten those Showers
Use a water efficient shower head- this alone will save water, and then try to reduce the length of your shower. An egg timer is a good test of how quickly you are showering, you'd be amazed at how fast 3 minutes goes!
Producing hot water 24/7 is a high consumer of energy in households so minimising hot water usage in showers and washing machines saves both energy and water.

4. Note the Energy Rating on New Appliances
In Australia there is a rating from 1-6 in stars, 1 being the lowest and 6 the highest. There is a vast difference in the energy savings, and maybe only slight increase in initial outlay for appliances with higher energy ratings. Think about the long term savings in running costs when investing a little extra in a higher quality appliance.

5. Use your Clothes Line!
The Hills Hoist may not be the most glamorous of Australian inventions, but it makes excellent use of wind and sunlight to dry and freshen your clothes, and its all free. Clothes dryers are about the most wasteful household appliance when there is so much FREE wind and sun power just waiting to be used!

6. Look for Standby
It estimated that up to 10% of household energy consumption is from appliances on standby. Each night before you go to bed, flick off those switches, and don't turn them back until you use the appliance again.
Warning- some appliances erase their memory (stereos, videos) check that you aren't losing all of your settings each time.

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