Winter Power Usage: How to Reduce your Carbon Footprint and Make Savings
Winter is a notorious time of year for high power consumption and eye-watering electricity bills. Did you know that there are lots of small, easy things you can do around the house to make a positive impact on the environment and your wallet? That’s right! You can make changes to reduce your carbon footprint.
What is a Carbon Footprint?
Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon emissions you make. Your carbon emissions often come from the amount of power you consume. In New Zealand, our power comes from both renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. Non-renewable energy comes from coal, and when this material is burned, it creates carbon dioxide. We cannot choose where our electricity comes from. But we can reduce the amount of power we consume! This is great for the environment and will help you make great savings over the course of a year.
We have rounded up our top 5 ways to reduce your carbon footprint and save money.
1. Choose Energy Efficient Appliances
An energy efficient appliance will simply use less energy to perform the same task. For example, an aircon with a high energy star rating will still keep you warm and cool, without consuming lots of energy to do so. Less energy consumption will lower your carbon emissions and help keep those monthly power bills low! So, if you have an old fridge, heater, chest freezer, or any other old appliance that is due for an upgrade, be sure to get one with a high star energy rating. Jump on PriceMe to make sure you get the cheapest deal for all your whiteware needs.
2. Unplug Devices When Not Using Them
Did you know that your devices can still consume electricity even when you’re not using them? That’s right! It’s called standby power, or vampire power. Most appliances and devices need to consume a small amount of electricity so that they’re ready for you to use, such as the TV remote sensor on your TV. Turning off phone chargers, switching off your coffee machine when you’re not using it, turning off your computer – it can all help save electricity and lower your bill.
3. Reduce your Meat Consumption
Did you know that meat production can produce a lot of carbon dioxide? Try implementing meatless Mondays, or swapping out your chicken for a can of chickpeas when making curry. A can of chickpeas can cost less than $2 from the grocery store and they are healthy for you! Not only are they cheaper than meat but it will help reduce your carbon emissions.
4. Make Sure your Appliances Can Run Smoothly
You can reduce your energy consumption by giving your appliances some TLC. Give your fridge a clean out every month, and remove food items that you no longer eat, or that have gone bad. Clean out the filters in your aircon or dryer. Give your dishwasher and washing machine a deep clean, including the filters. If there is debris blocking the filters from working, or food stuffed in the fridge, your appliances will have to work harder to perform the same task. That means your aircon will have to work harder to keep your room cool in summer, and your fridge will have to work harder to keep your food cold. Prevent your appliances from having to work harder and therefore, consume more power, by giving them a regular maintenance clean!
5. Use Cold Water
When you run your washing machine, use the cold water setting. Hot water can consume quite a bit of electricity. You can reduce the amount of power you consume by using cold water for your washing machine, and even by taking cold showers during the summer time. You could also try turning off your shower in between soaping and shampooing, to save water and electricity, which can help minimise both your power and electricity bill – a great way to reduce your environmental impact!
Compare your Power Bill
Comparing your power bill is a great way to make savings each month. Jump on Power Compare, our user-friendly platform to compare the different power plans and providers available to you, so you can make a fully informed choice, and unlock potential savings. Comparison can help you save hundreds of dollars on your electricity bill per year!