Start with behaviour, it’s free. Below are positive things to do. Each saves a tiny bit of electricity but together they add up.
Laundry and hot water
- Do I take short showers, so use less hot water.
- Do I wash my clothes in cold water?
- Do I hang my clothes to dry outside rather than use a clothes dryer?
Windows
- Do I close windows in daytime during hot weather and open them at night to let in cool air?
- Do I open a window midday in winter to let in fresh air, but keep it closed most of the time.
- Do I have double glazed windows, or put bubble wrap or plastic on window panes in winter?
Curtains
- Do I open curtains in daytime during cold months, and close them during daytime in hot weather?
- Do I close curtains as soon as it gets dark in cold months and open them in warm months as soon as the outside air is cooler than inside?
Kitchen
- Do I only fill the kettle with the amount of water I need?
- Do I usually cook with lids on my pots
- Do I make sure things are cool before putting in frig?
- Do I cook several things at one time, when using the oven?
- Do I turn off the oven before baking is finished so it continues to cook without using additional electricity?
- Do I only use a dishwasher when full.
Stand-by, lights, televisions, radios, phones
- Do I turn off appliances at the wall when not in use so they aren’t left on stand-by? (In some households stand-by accounts for about 10% of the electricity used.)
- Do I Turn off lights when not needed?
- Do I use energy efficient light bulbs?
- Do I only keep the television or radio on when I am actively watching/listening?
- Do I unplug the phone charger once it is fully charged?
- Do I turn off computers when not in use?
The big one is heating and cooling. Can I live comfortably in a cooler house in winter and a warmer house in summer?
- Do I only heat or cool the rooms we are in and close off other rooms?
By Patsy Asch, Sustainable Living Armidale
