Reducing your carbon footprint saves both the environment and money. Numerous programs like Catch Energy Australia and others reduce the overall energy consumption of your home and bring significant savings in energy efficiency. There are many ways in which you can save energy in your home.
Buy energy efficient devices
For homeowners who are interested in energy efficiency and sustainability, saving energy begins with large appliances. With Climate change Choosing an energy efficient device costs billions of dollars and has an incredibly negative impact on everyday life. This is just a small way to make a big impact. Unplugging important appliances like your washing machine or computer can save both energy and money. Only choose devices that are highly energy efficient, such as your refrigerator or washing machine.
Isolate your home
Significantly reduce heating and cooling costs through insulation. Insulate your attic and protect your home from drafts. Seal the chimneys and avoid installing downlights. Close doors and windows as needed and use curtains to control how much sunlight hits your home. In general, you want sunlight to warm your home in colder weather. Use heavy curtains to reduce cold drafts. Dark curtains can keep out unwanted sunlight in the warmer months.
Reduce transportation costs
Air travel continues to have the largest carbon footprint. However, you can cut your overall transportation costs by just using a car or opting for biking or hiking. Make sure you have an economical car or a hybrid car.
save water
Many of us don’t know how much water we waste every day. No matter how much water we use for daily bathing and toilet use, we can all reduce water waste. Use gray water from showers and washing machines for gardening or cleaning the car. Use a low flow shower head and a water efficient toilet. Collect rainwater to irrigate your garden.
How to save electricity
If possible, install solar panels or use portable solar energy sources to charge smaller items like phones. Turn off the lights in every room. Disconnect computers and TVs, which often consume small amounts of energy continuously, even when not in use. Find ways to reduce electricity overall by isolating your home, using energy efficient appliances, and consolidating tasks that use electricity. For example, instead of three food trips a week, you should do two big food trips a month. This saves you both impulse purchases and transport costs.
Reduce food and grocery waste
Many of us throw away perfectly good food. However, there are many uses for food and ways to reduce waste. For example, bring recyclable bags and containers and buy bulk items that you can store in your own bins. Buy groceries from local farmers. Avoid packaging made of plastic or styrofoam. Be smart at home when you cook. Use a slow cooker to make a large pot of soup that you can eat over a couple of days instead of cooking every night. If vegetables or fruits go bad, keep them. You can cut off the bad parts and then freeze the good parts for stews and soups. Fruits can be canned or frozen and placed in smoothies.
There are hundreds of ways each of us can reduce our carbon footprint and live sustainable lives. Follow these simple guidelines and begin your energy efficiency journey.