Tips for Sustainable Living

10 Tips for Reducing Energy Use Everyday

1. Turn all appliances off when not in use. In many cases this means switching off at the powerpoint, although some appliances have an on/off switch. Even when you think these products are off, together, their “standby” consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously.
2. Configure your computer to “hibernate” automatically after 30 minutes or so of inactivity. The “hibernate mode” turns the computer off in a way that doesn’t require you to reload everything when you switch it back on. Allowing your computer to hibernate saves energy and is more time-efficient than shutting down and restarting your computer from scratch. When you’re done for the day, shut down.
3. Boil only the amount of water that you need. When its time to replace your kettle, consider one that allow you to selectively boil only the amount that you need, even if the kettle is full.
4. Leave the car at home. Motorised transport accounts for ¼ of energy related CO2 emissions and more than 85% of oil use. Like it or not, we have to reduce our dependency on cars, Ride a bike instead! It’s more fun, and will increase your fitness. Bike trailers are an economical way of transporting groceries.
5. Look for The Good Environmental Choice Label when purchasing. This is the only environmental labelling program in Australia which indicates the environmental performance of a product from a whole of product life perspective for consumer goods.
6. Buy less! It’s usually possible to find more ‘environmentally friendly’ products, but lets face it: there is far too much consumption in the developed world, and every new product carries an environmental cost. If you really need something, look for it secondhand. And you will be amazed to discover what you can happily live without.
7. Use sunlight wisely. During winter, leave shades and blinds open on sunny days, but close them at night to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows. During summer, close shades and blinds on any windows with sun exposure.
8. Replace any old incandescent lights with new long lasting (and more efficient) Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs).
9. Consider installing a skylight to remove the need to turn lights on constantly.
10. Ensure your roof eaves are the right length to keep your house cooler in summer (when the sun is high in the sky) but warmer in winter when the sun is lower in the sky.

 

10 Tips for Reducing Water Use Everyday

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Tips for better Waste Management Everyday

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Tips for Building a Low Energy Home

1. Build a passive solar home. You will be amazed at how easy it is to keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter simply by using passive solar design principles. See… for more information
2. Timbers – use only recycled, or if new buy only from local certified managed plantations.
3. Consider Embodied energy – sometimes referred to as ‘embedded energy’ – is the energy used (and therefore the CO2 emissions) in manufacturing, packaging and transporting a product, material or service. So when calculating the CO2 savings from a new energy-efficient product such as a boiler or washing machine, its embodied energy needs to be taken into account. Usually the energy saved in use will quickly compensate for the embodied energy, but in some cases – such as small urban wind turbines – it may be that a product will use more energy in its manufacture than it will save across its lifetime.

10 Tips for Building a Low Water Use Home

1. Design your home so that all wet areas are close to each other, with the (solar) hot water service nearby. This will ensure minimal hot water waste, and save on plumbing costs.
2. Install rainwater tanks. Depending on where you live, with good planning you may be able to meet all your water needs through rain water collection.
3. Design roofing and guttering to maximise water collection.
4. Install water-efficient fittings such as 4.5/3L toilets, low flow shower heads and taps.
5. Install a grey-water tank to collect and treat water from showers, baths and washing machines for use on gardens.
6. Install an on/off valve between the shower arm and showerhead. This temporarily shuts off the flow while maintaining the temperature, and can be a useful water-saver while soaping up or shaving. Can save up to 100 litres per shower.
7. Install a water diverter to collect and recirculate all water from hot tap before it reaches the desired temperature.
8. Insulate all hot-water pipes. With this low-cost change you’ll get hot water faster, avoid wasting H2O while it heats up, and save energy in the process.
9. Choose only 6 water star appliances. Each additional star on the Australian Government’s water rating scheme equals 15% less energy consumption.
10. Install timers on all hose fittings to prevent accidently leaving the hose running.

Tips for Retrofitting your Home

1. Take advantage of the sun. Install photovoltaic panels and a solar hot water system.
2. Too hot in summer? Reduce sunlight entering the home by adding removable/retractable shade screens. Plant a deciduous tree or shady vine such as grapevines in front of windows. Or add a tinted coating to the glass (but only for windows not needed for maximising winter sun).
3. Seal up cracks in doors and windows
4. Turn heaters off at night and put more blankets on the bed instead. Most people in cool climates tend to overheat at night, which can lead to disturbed sleep and skin conditions.
5. Add more insulation to your home. This can have a huge impact on your energy use and heating bills. Some state governments offer rebates for insulation costs.
6. Reduce the need for lighting by installing skylights or solar tubes in your home.
7. Need a new appliance? Always choose 6 star appliances. Each additional star on the Aus Govts energy rating scheme equals 30% less energy consumption. It is usually also worth paying more for a very high quality product from a reputable company, as the embodied energy of whitegoods makes it very worthwhile repairing rather than replacing. But do check that you really need that appliance. A six star clothes dryer is grossly inefficient way of drying clothes compared to using the washing line.
8. Make sure your appliances are working efficiently. Check that your fridge and oven doors are well sealed. You can check this by making sure that a piece of paper closed in between the door gaskets is difficult to pull out. If it slides easily between the gaskets, replace them.

10 Tips for Retrofitting to Reduce Water Use

1. Install a rainwater tank. They can provide a valuable water source for flushing toilets, laundry use, watering gardens and washing cars all year round.
2. Install a grey-water tank to collect and treat water from showers, baths and washing machines for use on gardens.
3. Install a low-flow showerhead (9 litres/2 gallons or less per minute). Modern low-flow showerheads do not sacrifice water pressure for efficiency, but now there are many options. Many councils and water suppliers have a free exchange program to swap your thirsty showerhead for a more efficient one.
4. Install an on/off valve between the shower arm and showerhead. This temporarily shuts off the flow while maintaining the temperature, and can be a useful water-saver while soaping up or shaving. Can save up to 100 litres per shower.
5. Install a water diverter to collect and recirculate all water from hot tap before it reaches the desired temperature.
6. Insulate all accessible hot-water pipes, especially those within 3 feet of the water heater. With this low-cost change you’ll get hot water faster, avoid wasting H2O while it heats up, and save energy in the process.
7. Install aerators or flow restrictors in all your taps. These low cost items can save 9L/minute and are easy to install.
8. Need a new appliance? Always choose 6 water star appliances. Each additional star on the Aus Govts water rating scheme equals 15% less energy consumption.
9. Install a cistern weight in single flush toilets. These can save you around 3 litres of water per flush.
10. Install timers on all hose fittings to prevent accidently leaving the hose running.