The Energy-Smart Action Plan
UNDERSTAND, REDUCE, SWITCH and OFFSET...
These are four steps you can take to create a low-carbon home!
Other than reducing your carbon footprint permanently, you will be contributing directly to reducing and preventing further global warming and resulting climate change.
UNDERSTAND. Understanding where and why you use energy helps you to pinpoint which actions will be most useful for your home. There are two stages to understanding your energy use: the first is to measure how much energy you use and where it is used; the second follows on from the first and is to identify opportunities for reducing energy use. To help you to understand your energy use, visit:
REDUCE. Take all the energy-saving and energy-efficiency actions you can to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from your domestic use. Energy-saving actions are usually simple, free or low-cost actions to reduce and avoid energy waste and use energy more smartly. Energy efficiency is about using fittings, devices, appliances and systems that are designed to be energy-smart. Together, energy-saving and efficiency actions can reduce between 25-50% of all the energy your household currently uses! To learn more about what you can do reduce your greenhouse emissions from energy, visit:
SWITCH. Switch the source of your energy from the greenhouse gas intensive fossil fuel derived energy to cleaner forms of energy such as solar, hydro or wind energy. To switch energy sources you can generate your own power on-site or you can buy renewable energy from accredited sources through programs such as GreenPower. It may be that you need to do both. Switching energy sources is a great way to ensure a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from your home's electricity use. To learn more about renewable energy and switching to renewable power, visit:
OFFSET. After reducing your energy use and switching to renewable energy sources where possible, you will still be responsible for carbon emissions from your gas use at home. You can reduce or eliminate your remaining carbon emissions by purchasing accredited carbon offsets. To learn more about carbon offsets and how you can use them, visit: