Earth Day: Eco-friendly Power Saving Tips - That Will Save You Money!
Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to make changes around the house that will save money, and help to reduce your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the impact you leave on the environment. You can reduce this impact by making a few eco-friendly switches around the home to save electricity and lower your carbon emissions.
Here in New Zealand, we get our electricity from a range of renewable sources and non-renewable sources. Our non-renewable sources come from fossil fuels, which are made up over millions of years from the decomposition of plant and animal matter. This matter turns into coal, oil, and natural gas which can burn to generate electricity. While this is still a reliable energy source, fossil fuels aren’t eco-friendly. When burned, fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which can be harmful to the environment.
You can reduce your carbon emissions, and save money on your power bill with these 7 tips.
1. Upgrade Old Appliances
If you have any old appliances at home, such as an old fridge, chest freezer, or electric heater, consider upgrading them if you have the means. Old appliances don’t tend to have the benefits of modern technology, which makes many modern appliances energy efficient. This means that they are notorious for consuming too much energy, hiking up your power bill. You can save money in the long run by opting for modern appliances with high energy star ratings. The more stars they have (out of five stars), the more energy efficient they are, and the less they will cost you over the appliance’s life span.
2. Clean Heat Pump Filter
How long has it been since you’ve given your heat pump some TLC? Cleaning your heat pump filter can help the unit work a lot more efficiently, helping to combat your energy consumption, and save you money on power. This is especially important as we head into the winter months, where our reliance on our heat pumps will grow, and our power bills will increase anyway. If there’s lots of dust and build-up in the heat pump filter, the unit will have to work a lot harder to keep your room or home warm, using more electricity to do so, costing you more money. Take some time to clean it, and thank yourself later!
3. Choose LED Lightbulbs
Did you know that LED lightbulbs are a lot cheaper to run than traditional lightbulbs? They can save you a ton of electricity, while still keeping you shining. Save money in the long term on lighting by swapping your traditional bulbs, such as CFL bulbs or halogen bulbs, for LEDs.
4. Declutter the Fridge and Freezer
To use less electricity, your fridge and freezers need to run efficiently. You can help them by decluttering the items that have either gone off, or that you just won’t use so that there is more room for the cold air to circulate and keep your food cold or frozen. If your fridge and freezer don’t have to work as hard, they will use less energy and save you money.
5. Cold Water Washes
We aren’t saying you need to try cold showers! But you could try washing your laundry on cold water. Modern washing detergents are effective at cleaning your laundry, even with cold water. It takes a lot of energy to heat up water, and opting for cold water can save you a lot of money on your power bill. Save your hot water washes for after the flu, or when your laundry needs a heavier duty clean.
6. Check Windows and Doors
Warm air is a precious resource, especially in winter. You want to conserve it, especially when it’s generated by your heat pump. Be sure to check that your windows and door seal properly. You want to be able to trap any warm air. If you find any that don’t seal completely, jump on PriceMe to grab some weather strip tape for an easy DIY solution. You can also open your curtains and blinds in the morning to get in as much warmth from the sun as possible.
7. Consider Electric Blankets Over Bedroom Heaters
Generally, electric blankets don’t use as much energy as electric heaters. For winter sleeping, they would be a cheaper option. They only need to heat up your bed, which is a lot smaller of a space than your bedroom. You could help conserve the heat generated by shopping for winter appropriate comforters and duvets, and flannel sheets that trap warmth in their unique cotton fibres.
Compare Power and Save Money!
The best way to save money on power is to compare your power bill. Jump on Power Compare, your convenient, one-stop tool to find your new power provider, and a better deal. Simply type in your address, and we will show you all the power plans and providers available to you so you can compare all the options side-by-side, and in one place. Within just minutes, you can find yourself a better deal, and lock in a contract that will save you money in light of power price increases coming to New Zealand in 2025. Don’t wait to save money! Compare now.
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