1 - Replace all the light globes in your house with low energy globes; the compact fluorescent type. These globes save about 80% of the electricity used by a normal incandescent globe.
2 - Switch off lights and appliances that you are not using. Don't walk out of a room and leave everything going. Switch off when you leave.
3 - Install a Solar Hot Water System. We live in Sunny Queensland, so take of advantage of the sun. Heating of water with electricity contributes upto half of the average households electricity consumption. A new scheme from the Queensland government is set to offer 200,000 Solar hot water systems a discount price. Stay tuned for more details
4 - Don't use the hot water tap to wash just your hands. By the time the hot water moves along the pipes in your walls to your hands, you're finished. Then the water heater has to heat up that bit of water again.
5 - When boiling a kettle, only put in the amount of water that you intend to use. The rest of the water is just going to cool down again, unused.
6 - Try and avoid using appliances that use a lot of energy, like tumble driers, stoves and heaters. There are situations of course where you have to use these appliances, but if possible, use another method. For example, don't use the tumble drier when the sun is shining warmly on your washing line.
7 - Make sure your energy use is efficient. For instance, don't run air conditioner with all the windows open.
8 - Try and shower rather than bath, as this uses less water, which in turn saves energy.
9 - If you leave outside lights on for security reasons, consider having movement sensors installed and also the type of globe you are using.
10 - In the kitchen, use a microwave oven rather than a stove where possible; don't leave the refrigerator or deep freeze door open.
