Quick wins for energy savings at home
Updated: Mar 10, 2022
Burning fossil fuels releases a lot of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. If you’re on the East coast of Australia, are connected to the electricity grid, and aren’t generating your own solar energy, then your energy comes mostly from fossil fuels.
We’ve all done it: leaving a trail of power behind us as we move through our house using lights and appliances. With a few simple tips we can train ourselves to consciously switch off regularly, until it becomes an unconscious habit.
Here are a few quick wins for energy savings at home.
Identify your vampires
The connectivity of modern technology is one reason why our devices leak so much energy.
Even when the TV is off, for example, it is still ready to receive a signal from the remote and is always connected to the internet to perform updates. An item on standby (switched off, but on at the socket) is still using power, accumulating about 8.76 kilowatts, or $2.50 a year. In an average household of 20+ items, this adds up.
We call these appliances ‘Vampire appliances’, because they leech energy even when they are shut off. Vampire appliances can account for as much as 20% of your total energy bill. That's something to be spooked about!
Do the evening sweep
Do a sweep of each room in your house and turn off lights, or any items left on unnecessary standby. This is a habit that can significantly reduce your energy consumption.
(Not so) fun fact: Modems have a particularly high standby energy usage, this is a good opportunity to turn yours off without inconvenience.
Set reminders
Sticking ‘Switch Off’ post-its next to powerpoints can help to remind you to switch them off. One Small Step’s Habit Tracker can help you to track this!
Our free Energy Savings 101 course in the One Small Step app helps get your energy usage into shape with a couple of quick and easy tips and a supporting habits. By the end you’ll have switched to LED lights and will be doing the rounds to make sure that you’re only using energy when you really need it.
Here's what our Energy Savings 101 course will take you through:
The big switch off - Understand your biggest 'vampire appliance' culprits, discover how to stop energy leakage and get tips for making energy-reducing actions a habit!
Getting LED lights - Discover how to get the best LED lights to reduce your home's energy consumption. Everything from choosing the brightness and colour that is right for you to what level of quality to invest in.
Download the app and take the Energy Savings 101 course today!
One Small Step’s mission is to help millions of people achieve net zero emissions so that together we can create a healthier future for our planet. You can download the app for free today to start cutting your personal emissions and track your impact as you do it. You’ll be joining tens of thousands of others taking small steps towards a better world.
Don't have One Small Step yet? Download it for free today!
One Small Step helps you every step of the way to living a more environmentally-healthy life. When you download the app, you’ll receive a personalised roadmap that is tailored to you and the way you live your life to help you reduce your carbon impact.
