Energy companies are getting a lot better at educating consumers on more efficient energy use on their websites, and along with
Green Living Tips and Australian and state government websites, I took it to heart and from Oct 2010-Jan 2011 I reduced my electricity consumption by 36% from the same period the previous year, and from Jan-April 2011, 38% from the same period the previous year. I thought I was already conscious enough by only charging phones and netbook when they needed to, using Compact Fluorescent lights, ad-hoc turning off of equipment/lights, solar water heating (with a manual booster so it is my choice when to heat up the water), purchased Green power, but there was so much more to be done...
How did I do it:
- turned an appliance off at the wall everytime it is not in use, and unpluged where possible (particularly kettles and toasters). What am I doing this for now?
- TV
- Foxtel
- DVD Player (now stays off most of the time)
- Wii
- Xbox (those power transformers have lights, little power vampires)
- Foxtel wireless phone connection (only need it when ordering an 'on demand' movie, little lights too)
- Kettle
- Toaster
- Computer, screen, ADSL Router, printer (hardly use it anyway),
- Desk lamps
- Automatic sprinkler system (I hadn't used it for three years, and there it was using power)
- Room lights
- Inserted weather strips on external doors
- Bought new, more solid snakes for door drafts
- Reduced pool filter to run for only 2 hours a day when not using the pool
- Used cold water for washing machine
- Kids have more showers and less baths
- Reduced freezer temperature to -17 degrees from -22 degrees in summer, now it is -15 in winter and I completely refresh the meat at least once every three weeks - no long term meat hoarding.
- Used gas grill/cooktop and microwave more and less of the energy hungry oven with its 15 minute cool down cycle.
- Turned the dishwasher off at the start of the dry cycle, with help of oven timer as a reminder.
- Limited the use of air conditioner (reverse cycle) and setting temp in summer to 26 degrees, and 18 degrees in winter.
- Turned off the automatic front porch light when practical.
- Used smaller LCD TV for watching news in kitchen in morning and dinner time rather than larger CRT TV (still don't have a large flat screen, it ain't broke yet - some things were built to last, especially German TVs!).
- Used the netbook for quick internet searching, email checking rather than using the big desktop computer everytime.
- Turned down the waterbed thermostat/heater a bit.
- Boiled only one cup of water when it was just me after a cuppa.
- Turned off garden lights.
- Planned better and used a camp clothesline inside rather than using the dryer for 'emergencies'.
- And most importantly, trained the kids to do the same! It only took 2 weeks of constant reminding, and after they saw the first bill, are happily on-board.
Now it is winter, kid are rugging up on the couch, thanks, Nanna for the crocheted rug too.
The little things do add up. There are four of us in a 5 bedroom house, and we used 1547 KWH Oct 2010-Jan 2011, and 1361 KWH Jan-Apr 2011. Even with rising electricity prices, the saving in the last period meant it was my cheapest power bill since January 2006, and my lowest ever consumption since moving into the house in 2004. Happy with that for the money in my pocket and the environment!
