If you are interested in becoming more eco-conscious and reducing your carbon footprint, there are multiple ways you can make your home and your life more sustainable by making some simple swaps. We look at some of the ways you can reduce your energy consumption and save money while cutting your carbon footprint.
Reduce Energy Consumption
One of the first and last things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint is to address how much energy you use at home. Are you guilty of leaving lights on when no one is home or in a room? Do you leave items plugged in and on standby? Or do you leave household appliances on for no reason other than you can’t be bothered to turn them off? By making these simple changes, you cannot only reduce your carbon footprint but also significantly cut down on your energy bills, putting more money back in your pocket.
Residential properties in Australia are responsible for around 24% of the country’s electricity use and contribute to 10% of carbon emissions.
Most homes in Australia were built before energy standards were introduced, meaning that millions of homes aren’t energy efficient and are extremely wasteful. When you add to this people’s poor energy habits, you can see why $15.1 billion is wasted each year on energy.
Take a look at how you consume energy at home and then consider ways you can reduce this. A good idea is to look at your energy supplier options and see if they have special rates or tariffs you can take advantage of or if they use greener energy sources to help you reduce your reliance on fossil fuels to power your home.
Solar Panels
As of February 2023, over 3.4 million homes have solar panels installed. Solar panels, as you know, harness the power of the sun to provide electricity for your home. This not only saves you money but also significantly reduces your reliance on traditional energy sources, thereby contributing to a cleaner and greener environment. Investing in an effective solar installation is not just a financial investment (which pays for itself after 5 years) but also a responsible choice for the planet.
Rescue Food Waste
Over $10 billion worth of food is sent to landfills in the NSW area alone each year. This is not only a tremendous amount of food wasted but also money. At a time when groceries are expensive, reducing food waste can have dual benefits. By being mindful of what you buy and how you use it, you can save money and reduce the burden on our landfills, showing consideration for the environment and future generations.
You can use specific food waste for compost, which can massively benefit the ground, the local area, and wildlife/insects. However, not all food can be composted at home, so make a conscious effort not to buy more than you need, to use all food by its sell-by date so you don’t need it, to throw it away, and to utilise as much as you can. This will help you reduce your carbon footprint and your food shopping bill.
Top tips are only buying what you need as you need it, making a meal plan for the week or month so you can use everything you buy, meal prepping as far in advance as you can, and donating unused food to friends and family so it doesn’t go to waste.
Reduce Waste and Recycle
Over 76 million tonnes of waste are produced in Australia each year, and over 16% of this is from residential sources. The best way to reduce your waste is to buy less. From here, looking at what you purchase and its packaging can help you reduce waste. Avoid single-use products, buy fresh groceries that are wrapped where possible, and be conscious of what you throw away to help you reduce your waste.
This brings us to recycling. Not everyone can achieve zero waste, although it’s an excellent target to aim for. However, recycling or purchasing products because they or their packaging can be recycled can be highly beneficial for reducing waste. Currently, the recycling rate across the country is stagnant at 60%, meaning vast amounts of products are not being recycled that could be.
Take the time to learn exactly what can be recycled in your home once you’re not using it anymore. Can old future be recycled or donated to someone who can use it or upcycle it? Can you donate old clothes? Compost food waste as mentioned above? Are you recycling e-waste? And do you understand precisely what you can recycle or reuse at home? The morue you know about exactly what can be recycled, the more you can direct away form landfill and reduce your waste.
If you are interested in becoming more eco-conscious and reducing your carbon footprint, there are multiple ways you can make your home and your life more sustainable by making some simple swaps. We look at some of the ways you can reduce your energy consumption and save money while cutting your carbon footprint.
Reduce Energy Consumption
One of the first and last things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint is to address how much energy you use at home. Are you guilty of leaving lights on when no one is home or in a room? Do you leave items plugged in and on standby? Or do you leave household appliances on for no reason other than you can’t be bothered to turn them off? By making these simple changes, you cannot only reduce your carbon footprint but also significantly cut down on your energy bills, putting more money back in your pocket.
Residential properties in Australia are responsible for around 24% of the country’s electricity use and contribute to 10% of carbon emissions.
Most homes in Australia were built before energy standards were introduced, meaning that millions of homes aren’t energy efficient and are extremely wasteful. When you add to this people’s poor energy habits, you can see why $15.1 billion is wasted each year on energy.
Take a look at how you consume energy at home and then consider ways you can reduce this. A good idea is to look at your energy supplier options and see if they have special rates or tariffs you can take advantage of or if they use greener energy sources to help you reduce your reliance on fossil fuels to power your home.
Solar Panels
As of February 2023, over 3.4 million homes have solar panels installed. Solar panels, as you know, harness the power of the sun to provide electricity for your home. This not only saves you money but also significantly reduces your reliance on traditional energy sources, thereby contributing to a cleaner and greener environment. Investing in an effective solar installation is not just a financial investment (which pays for itself after 5 years) but also a responsible choice for the planet.
Rescue Food Waste
Over $10 billion worth of food is sent to landfills in the NSW area alone each year. This is not only a tremendous amount of food wasted but also money. At a time when groceries are expensive, reducing food waste can have dual benefits. By being mindful of what you buy and how you use it, you can save money and reduce the burden on our landfills, showing consideration for the environment and future generations.
You can use specific food waste for compost, which can massively benefit the ground, the local area, and wildlife/insects. However, not all food can be composted at home, so make a conscious effort not to buy more than you need, to use all food by its sell-by date so you don’t need it, to throw it away, and to utilise as much as you can. This will help you reduce your carbon footprint and your food shopping bill.
Top tips are only buying what you need as you need it, making a meal plan for the week or month so you can use everything you buy, meal prepping as far in advance as you can, and donating unused food to friends and family so it doesn’t go to waste.
Reduce Waste and Recycle
Over 76 million tonnes of waste are produced in Australia each year, and over 16% of this is from residential sources. The best way to reduce your waste is to buy less. From here, looking at what you purchase and its packaging can help you reduce waste. Avoid single-use products, buy fresh groceries that are wrapped where possible, and be conscious of what you throw away to help you reduce your waste.
This brings us to recycling. Not everyone can achieve zero waste, although it’s an excellent target to aim for. However, recycling or purchasing products because they or their packaging can be recycled can be highly beneficial for reducing waste. Currently, the recycling rate across the country is stagnant at 60%, meaning vast amounts of products are not being recycled that could be.
Take the time to learn exactly what can be recycled in your home once you’re not using it anymore. Can old future be recycled or donated to someone who can use it or upcycle it? Can you donate old clothes? Compost food waste as mentioned above? Are you recycling e-waste? And do you understand precisely what you can recycle or reuse at home? The morue you know about exactly what can be recycled, the more you can direct away form landfill and reduce your waste.
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