We hope that the current load shedding crisis will have sparked South Africans into a concerted process of increased household power efficiency and renewed interest in alternative energies.
We have put together a brief outline and guide from extracts from leading articles in improved energy efficiency from all over the globe:
You will see links to other sites which may be of added interest to you. Don't forget to check out our websites - Plan My Power; Solar Power; Inverters
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Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. CFL globes are subsidized in SA, and it is absolutely shocking to see just how many homes still make use of incandescent globes for lighting.
An area we specialize in, is the replacement of energy efficient downlighter replacement globes in either CFL or LED alternatives. |
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Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has more tips for saving energy on heating and cooling. |
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Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Only run your dishwasher when there’s a full load and use the energy-saving setting
You can save 100 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Rinse your dishes under cold water before packing in the dishwasher will allow you to use only the most energy efficient wash cycles. |
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Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1 ton per year. Look at insulation in your ceilings like “Aerolite” to allow cooler summers and warmer winters. |
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Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save more than a ton of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates. Look out for Ronnie recycle routes and times in your area.
Surf the web to help you find recycling resources in your area. Resolution Recycling collect recyclable material such as tin, alluminium, batteries, glass, paper, and plastic from your home on a bi-weekly basis. You will surprised at how much of your household waste can actually be recycled |
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Buy recycled paper products
It takes between 70 and 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.
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Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. |
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Get a home energy audit
Many energy companies such as ourselves, offer home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1 ton of carbon dioxide a year. See our solar power website |
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Switch to green power
In any area, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. |
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Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you R1000’s a year on your energy bill. |
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Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most efficient models. If each household in SA replaced its existing appliances with the most efficient models available, we’d eliminate millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year! |
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Wrap your geyser in an insulation blanket
You’ll save nearly half a ton of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 200kgs per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 58 degrees Celcius. |
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Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead and washing your clothes in cold or warm water instead of hot. |
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Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save over half a ton of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year. |
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Turn off electronic devices you’re not using
Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you’re not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year. |
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Unplug electronics from the wall when you’re not using them
Even when turned off, things like hairdryers, cell phone chargers and televisions use energy. In fact, the energy used to keep display clocks lit and memory chips working accounts for 5 percent of total domestic energy consumption and spews 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year! |
