Reduce your energy consumption and save money by doing simple, little things around the house.

Switch off when not in use 

Albeit obvious, it can be easy to forget to turn things off when you don’t need to use it anymore. Don’t forget that light switch in the hallway before you run out the door, or that electric fan when you leave the room. Even better, unplug appliances when you don’t need them - it is estimated that appliances left on standby could draw 1 watt of energy over the year from the socket. In the average home this could cost you up to $200 in a year!

Cooling down

When the Aussie summer rolls around, we know how dependent you can become on your air conditioner, especially during a heatwave. Try keeping your thermostat within 8°C of the temperature outdoors. More moderate temperatures can save you up to 10% on your next utility bill. Additionally, you can turn off your AC at night, only use it in certain rooms, use an electric fan as an alternative, and draw the shades to keep the heat out. 

Know your dishwasher

The dishwashers being made today are more energy and water efficient than ever before, making post-meal clean up faster and easier. In fact, hand washing a full load could use up to twice as much water and energy as compared to using a dishwasher. Additionally, to clean a six or eight place setting through a dishwasher only costs about 2c per cycle. So skip the pre-wash and scrape instead, don’t let food dry onto the dishes, clean your filter and try to use an eco-setting when possible. If you’re on the hunt for a new dishwasher or find that yours is old, inefficient or too big, keep an eye out for their water and energy ratings to make the most environmentally-friendly choice.

Save it for a full load

Appliances like washing machines, dryers and dishwashers use the same amount of water and energy when running a half load, as they do when you put in a full load. So make sure you have a full load to get the most bang for your buck when using these appliances, using low temperatures and eco-settings where possible.

Sunny skies = emission-free dryer

Australia has been home to the Hills Hoist clothesline since the 40’s, and for good reason. If you are blessed with blue skies and warm breezes, why not dry your clothes outdoors rather than running the dryer? Switching to air drying your clothes can spare a household around 1000kg of carbon emissions every year. 

Shower thoughts

Heating water uses a lot of energy - did you know that on average, a shower uses 12L of water every minute? A faster shower on a cooler temperature setting with a more efficient shower head could lead to a noticeable change on your utility bills.

Energy efficient appliances

While we all love our appliances, our use of them doesn’t have to come at the cost of the environment. Switching to energy efficient alternatives can save you up to 20% of your current costs per appliance.