The fight against carbon emissions starts at home. According to YourHome, electricity accounts for up to 53% of energy used within a household and creates 87% of greenhouse gas emissions. Most of Australia’s energy is generated by burning non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Global action is being taken to tackle carbon emissions and the risks it poses towards climate change. Australia is part of 99 countries that have committed to taking action to reduce global emissions by the year 2020. The average Australian can play a huge role in helping the nation reduce carbon emissions by adopting sustainable habits within their home. Below are a few habits the average Australian can adopt.
Turning off the lights after they leave the room.
Many Australians are guilty of leaving the lights on in empty rooms. Some Aussies are even guilty of sleeping with their lights on. This extra energy consumption adds to the overall energy bill and contributes to unnecessary carbon emissions.
Turning off electricity appliances at the wall.
Even though appliances are turned off at the switch, they can still consume some energy when they are plugged in. If items aren’t being used, turn them off stand-by mode and remove them completely from the plug sockets in the wall.
Installing solar panels for their water heating.
Australia is one of the few lucky countries that gets an abundant amount of sunshine. So it makes sense to get hot water for free by using solar water heating solutions.
Changing household light bulbs from halogen to LED.
Lighting consumes a lot of power in the average Australian household. For homeowners that haven’t made the switch, it is one of the easiest things to change. According to LED light provider LEDified, the average Australian home can reduce their lighting bills by from $887/year to $83/year by simply switching from halogen lights to LEDs.
LEDified suggest installing LED Lights as an alternative to halogen lights.
Using a hot water bottle instead of a heater.
During the cooler months, people are tempted to leave electric, gas or oil heaters on all day. While they improve the warmth within the home, it is expensive and consumes a lot of energy. Using a hot water bottle only requires the energy for the kettle to boil and the heat can last up to 8 hours.
Avoid using the dryer!
When it comes to drying your clothes, avoid using the electric dryer and opt to use either an outdoor or indoor clothesline.
Closing the curtains on hot days.
When the hot summer days arrive, many people will quickly turn to air conditioning or fans for relief. Rather than use extra energy, homeowners can block the sun’s heat with dark curtains. This should reduce the internal temperature within the home.
Install double-glazing windows to minimise heat loss during the cooler months.
Double-glazing is a great option for those people that live in cooler climates around Australia. Rather than relying on heaters to keep your property warm, double glazed windows will prevent the loss of heat from rooms within the property.
Spend less time in the shower.
People should aim for 4-minute showers to reduce energy consumption costs from running hot water.
Create shade on the sunny side of your home.
Minimise the amount of heat that enters the home by installing internal or external shutters or by planting trees outside the property.
Should Australians make simple changes to lifestyle habits within their home, they will help the nation achieve its goal of reducing carbon emissions by the year 2020.