Never mind nuclear power, wind power, clean coal, carbon trading and the rest. These may all have a role in preventing climate change in coming years but there's another, simpler way to tackle climate change. Start Now and make it happen!
It's estimated that worldwide, buildings account for about forty per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, yet between a fifth and half of energy used in buildings is simply wasted through inefficiencies such as poor insulation or excess lighting.
That's a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions, then, simply being pumped into the atmosphere for no good reason.
It also means we can make a real contribution to tackling climate change just by being smarter about the way we use energy in our homes and offices.
Start Now! Once you start thinking about it, you can come up with hundreds of ways to save energy, many as simple as flicking a switch. And not only will it help prevent climate change, but being energy-smart will also save you money by reducing your electricity and gas bills.
We can also easily reduce the amount of energy we use for things such as hot water, which accounts for a relatively large percentage of energy in our homes.
Start Now! Here are some easy tips to get you started
It's estimated that worldwide, buildings account for about forty per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, yet between a fifth and half of energy used in buildings is simply wasted through inefficiencies such as poor insulation or excess lighting.
That's a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions, then, simply being pumped into the atmosphere for no good reason.
It also means we can make a real contribution to tackling climate change just by being smarter about the way we use energy in our homes and offices.
Start Now! Once you start thinking about it, you can come up with hundreds of ways to save energy, many as simple as flicking a switch. And not only will it help prevent climate change, but being energy-smart will also save you money by reducing your electricity and gas bills.
We can also easily reduce the amount of energy we use for things such as hot water, which accounts for a relatively large percentage of energy in our homes.
Start Now! Here are some easy tips to get you started
- Greener shopping habits Look at everything before you buy. Start becoming aware of packaging and recyclability.
- Recycle. Each extra kilo of waste recycled prevents 0.55kg of CO2 being emitted from the landfill where it would otherwise end up. Not only that, it also conserves resources and reduces the amount of space taken up in landfills.
- Get fresh Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce than fresh food. Plus it's more likely to taste like freezer burn than the fresh fruit or vegetables it once was.
- After you’ve tuned in, turn off! If the TV, hi-fi or DVD player are not in use ?turn them off completely. These devices use quite a lot of power ?even in standby, so turning off will save you money as well as help your carbon emissions.
- Recycle Recycling a stack of newspapers 3 feet high saves one tree.
- Put a lid on it! Putting a lid on saucepans when cooking allows you to cook at a lower heat which significantly reduces the energy needed.
- Recycle Recycling aluminium cans saves 95 percent of the energy required to produce a virgin can.
- Turn up the heat! Turning down your aircon by 1°C could cut your cooling bills substantially. Even better ?if it is possible to open the windows and circulate air instead of using air-conditioning.
- Take short showers A 10-minute shower can use more than 100 liters of water. And hot showers are responsible for two-thirds of your water heating costs.
- One cup or two? Only boil as much water as you need for your tea or coffee.
- Be a star-gazer! When appliances (washing machines, fridges, freezers) need replacing try to purchase Energy Star/A-rated ones. This can save up to 150kg of CO2 a year which you can recover through the lower electricity bills!
- Cool your food! Let food cool down before putting it in the fridge or freezer. Defrost your freezer regularly to keep it running efficiently and cheaply. Where possible, position your fridge & freezer away from cookers or heaters.
- Don't throw them away If you are looking to get rid of books, consider donating them.
- Kettles can be cool too! Use the kettle to boil water for cooking, instead of heating a pan on the stove. Not only will this be more efficient, it will generally save time too!
- Plastic NOT fantastic! Say NO to plastic bags when you shop. Take reusable shopping bags to the supermarket and try to buy products with less packaging.
- Start Now! The longer we wait to make a difference, the worse the problem gets. By following just a few of the tips above, your eco friendly lifestyle can Start Now!
