When investing in large household appliances and fixtures, use the government’s Energy and Water Ratings (Stars) to guide you to the most efficient, and save money over the long term as you continually conserve energy and water.
The cost of energy and water is rising and the effect is increasing. Large household appliances (including fridges, clothes dryers and dishwashing machines) and toilets, taps and showers consume the bulk of our household energy and water.
The Federal Government’s Water Rating site notes that replacing a single-flush toilet with a water-efficient dual-flush system will reduce household water use by around 1000 litres per year, as well as saving $50 each year over the life of the system.
Similarly, the product comparison charts in the Federal Government’s Energy Rating site shows that the difference in the ongoing operating costs between an average family fridge (two-door, 300+ litre volume) with an Energy Star Rating of 2½ and a similar fridge with an Energy Star Rating of 5 (out of 6) is between $750 and $1,000 over a 15 year period, depending on use and the cost of electricity.
Start thinking medium to long-term and invest more now to get the most energy efficient appliances and fixtures. You’ll reap the environmental and financial benefits for years to come.
How to do it now!
Simple adjustments to your daily habits can save tonnes of CO2 going into the atmosphere everyday. Some new habits to get you started include the following:
- Switch off lights when you don’t need them.
- Use a power meter to conduct a home energy assessment. Many local Councils have home energy kits available to help you pinpoint high energy consuming appliances and provide you with information on how much each appliance costs to run. By better understanding your energy consumption you can learn to make simple changes, potentially saving several hundred dollars a year and tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Switch off electrical appliances when not in use. Standby power accounts for about 4 per cent of the average homes energy use, so turn it off at the power point to save energy and money!
- Turn down your thermostat and throw on a jumper. Turning it down by just 1°C can save you up to 10 per cent on your heating bill.
- Use pot lids when cooking. Keep lids on pans when cooking and reduce the energy required.
- Cold drink of water. Keep drinking water in the fridge instead of letting the tap water run for a few moments before the water becomes cold.
- Drying your clothes. Let clothes dry naturally on the clothesline rather than using a tumble dryer.
To learn a new habit requires a couple of simple steps:
- As a household decide the habits you’re going to establish and ensure everyone is onboard.
- Set up reminders (e.g. notes on the fridge, light switches, etc). Empower the kids to dob you in (they’ll love that).
- Do the habit consciously for a week, then two, then it should be established and your subconscious will keep it going.
- At the end of each energy billing period note the saving and reward yourselves.
Additional resources
Why this action is important?
Science is telling us that we need to live more sustainably – more in tune with nature. In order for humans to establish a sustainable civilisation we must mimic and aspire to the efficiencies found in nature. This action is intended to help people understand the win-win nature of efficiency and to assess technology and behaviours in terms of their long-term returns (financial, environmental and intergenerational).
