Tips to slash your power bill while helping the environment
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Who doesn’t want to reduce their electricity bill and help Australia’s goal to reduce greenhouse emissions? What if there was a way to cut your electricity bills before they get out of control while doing your bit for our environment. Well, good news — not only is this possible, but it’s also easy to implement in your home.
Here’s some things you can do.
Shift your daily habits
Reducing your carbon footprint doesn’t necessarily mean going out and investing in a bunch of expensive new appliances and technology. Sometimes, the best thing to do is use your existing appliances more efficiently. Small changes like switching off the lights when you leave a room, and unplugging appliances you’re not using can add up to make a big difference to your electricity usage. While you’re at it, reduce time standing under that hot shower and watch that electricity bill drop.
Replace with energy-efficient alternatives
Did you know that the simple act of lighting your home can have a big impact on your power bill, and ultimately your carbon footprint? Household lighting accounts for about 15% of your electricity bill, with the major culprit being older fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. The solution? Making the switch to LED bulbs can use up to 75% less energy than older lights while lasting around 10 times longer.
If you want to start small, upgrading your lighting to LED is a great place to begin. Careful though, once you start to notice the savings on your power bill you might just upgrade all the lighting in your home.
Track your electricity usage
The best way to cut down on your electricity usage is to better understand it. Using a tool like the emerald Electricity Advisor, you can track energy usage in your home and take control of your energy consumption. You can easily connect your Electricity Advisor to your smart meter yourself without the need for an electrician. Then simply download the FREE emerald EMS app, to access helpful insights on your electricity usage right from your smartphone. You can even set an energy budget and receive alerts when your energy usage is peaking. This helps you target the problem directly and nip it in the bud. After all, knowing what you’re dealing with is the first step to conquering it.
