How to Contribute to a Global Goal While Making Your Home Energy Efficient
From the BroadCAST
According to the United Nations, households consume 29 per cent of global energy.
Our society has become increasingly wasteful. In previous generations, energy efficiency was a necessity due to a scarcity of resources — people had no choice but to make the most out of everything they had, and very little got thrown out. Today there are additional reasons we want to be less wasteful. We want to do our part for the environment, and at the very least we want to save money on our electricity bills.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Number Twelve is about ensuring sustainable consumption and promoting energy efficiency, so what better time to talk about making our homes more energy efficient.
Let’s be mindful about the electricity we are using by developing an energy efficient mindset. Every time you turn on the tap, wash laundry, or turn on an appliance, you are using electricity. Here in our province, we do not receive a water bill. This can make us less aware of how much water we are consuming.
There are some small changes we can make which will result in cost savings. Turn off the “heated dry” option on your dishwasher. Wash in cold water and dry clothes on the line. Use a power bar for your media centre so you can turn everything off at once. Identify drafts in your home and seal them. Turn down the water temperature on your hot water tank.
Make sure you are taking advantage of local rebates for greening your home through programs such as Take Charge where you can receive rebates on programmable thermostats, insulation, and heat recovery ventilators.
How can we help meet a global goal right here at home in Newfoundland and Labrador? This month and going forward, let’s keep the energy efficiency bug in our ear by being responsible consumers of electricity and water in our homes.
