Top 10 Tips for Greening Your Home
There are really easy steps everyone can take to help make their houses more green friendly. Here are some ideas that don’t require a dramatic lifestyle change, and remember that every little helps:
1. Soak up the sun
You could save around $100 a year if you use the sun to dry your clothes instead of a clothes dryer, not to mention the greenhouse gas emissions you could prevent!1 Alternatively, if you dry multiple loads one after another whilst the dryer is already hot, you’ll use less energy and save money.
2. Flick that switch
By turning off your appliances at the wall when you are not using them, you could save up to 10% on your energy bill1. Also, switching off lights when you leave a room for more than 15 minutes is a great way to cut back–because around 1/5 of a typical electricity bill is typically charged from lighting.
Also, try and keep a look out for products with an Energy Star standard, which have lower standby power consumption levels and consume up to 75% less energy in standby mode than standard products do.
3. Don’t forget about the wet
On average showers use 12 litres of water per minute1–imagine how much water (and money) you would save by showering for less than 10 minutes a day. By reducing your time in the shower from seven minutes to four, you could save over 25,000 litres ayear2.
4. Say no to plastic and paper bags
Australians use around 6.4 billion plastic bags a year2,which can take hundreds of years to break down in our environment, and while many assume paper is more friendly, paper bags do not biodegrade in landfills due to lack of oxygen. Switch to reusable high quality cloth grocery bags to make a difference.
5. Recycle
Australian’s produce an average of one tonne of rubbish per person every year1,making us the second highest producer of waste after the USA. Keep your recycling buckets reasonably close at hand so you won’t be tempted to throw cans and bottles into the regular trash.
Whether you are building, buying or renovating, here are some top tips to consider for creating a more sustainable home.
6. Water conservation
When you are choosing appliances and fittings make sure you select water efficient ones such as 3-star (or more) showerheads and water pressure-limiting devices. You could also think about including rainwater tanks to supply water for use in the garden, or in the toilet and laundry.
7. Natural heating and cooling through smart home design
A well designed house will allow your home to respond to its local climate through natural heating in winter and cooling in summer e.g. capturing breezes and creating access for cross-ventilation.
Thoughtful design can reduce the need to rely on air conditioners/heaters and will indirectly promote natural light and improve indoor air quality; with circulating breezes supplying fresh air throughout the home.
8. Energy and greenhouse efficient water heating
Consider installing a solar, natural gas or electric heat pump hot water system to lower energy bills and reduce the single largest source of greenhouse emissions in the household.
9. Future-proof
The living area and at least one bedroom and toilet on the entry level of the house should be readily accessible from the front boundary or car space to accommodate your changing housing needs as you get older.
10. Outdoor living
Gardens are a major water user, so planting a water-wise garden using native plants is an easy and practical way to save both water and money. Native plants such as Common Emu-bush, the Lemon-flowered Gum and the Oyster Bay Pine provide a good habitat and food source for native birds and are better adapted to Australia’s dry climate, therefore requiring less water than exotic plant species.
Just contact your local council or local nursery for information on plant selection and water smart garden design.
1http://www.studentedge.com.au/Student-Life/Housing/Environmental-Sustainability-at-Home.aspx
2http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/thesustainables/index.htm
