HOW TO SAVE POWER
Using less means paying less. Here are a few helpful inexpensive tips to reduce your energy use around the house.
Save Power in the Living Room
Switch appliances off at the wall
TVs, DVD players, computers & stereos still use energy in standby mode. When not in use, switch these appliances off at the wall.
Use a power board
A power board can supply electricity to multiple appliances at the same time and allows you to switch off all appliances using the same switch.
Use energy-saving bulbs
Change your old light bulbs to energy efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) or Light Emitting Diode(LED) ones.
How many lights are on?
Turn the lights off in the rooms you’re not using.
Do you really need to switch on during the day?
Open up curtains or drapes to make full use of the sunlight
Save Power in the Kitchen
Electric Kettles
Only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need.
Electric Cook-tops
Choose the right size pot when cooking and keep the lid on.
Fridge & freezers
Defrost your freezer regularly.
Keep fridges and freezers in a cool, well-ventilated spot away from the oven and the sun to save electricity.
Keep a clear gap around your fridge so air can circulate freely.
Save Power in the Laundry
Washing Clothes
Only run the washing machine on full load, as this will reduce the number of times you use the washing machine.
Drying Clothes
Avoid using a dryer instead hang your clothes out to dry on a clothes line.
HOW TO SAVE WATER
Using less means paying less. Here are a few helpful inexpensive tips to reduce your water use around the house.
Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth – this can save 6 litres of water per minute.
Take a shorter shower. Showers can use anything between 6 and 45 litres per minute. Consider getting an aerated shower head, which combines water and air, or inserting a regulator in your shower, which puts an upper limit on flow rates.
Fix a dripping tap. A dripping tap can waste 15 litres of water a day, or 5,500 litres of water a year.
Water your garden with a watering can rather than a hosepipe. A hosepipe can use as much as 1,000 litres of water an hour. Mulching your plants (with bark chippings, heavy compost or straw) and watering in the early morning and late afternoon will reduce evaporation and also save water.
Fill a jug with tap water and place this in your fridge. This will mean you do not have to leave the cold tap running for the water to run cold before you fill your glass.
Invest in water-efficient goods when you need to replace household products. You can now get water-efficient showerheads, taps, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers and many other water-saving products.