GreenMobiles - Doing your bit to help save our planet - The environmentally friendly mobile phone company.
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Green tips for your home
Here is a summary of some of our best ways to save money at home.
- Switch of electrical items when not in use
Australians waste between $700 - $900 million p.a. on standby energy.
- Avoid heating and cooling whenever possible.
Increasing the air-con temperature by 1°C in the summer and reducing temperature by 1°C in the winter will save around 10% off your energy bill.
- Limit the use of hot water.
Take shorter showers and save hundreds on water and electricity.
- Combine shopping and errands in one trip to save on travel.
Every km travelled in your car can cost you between 30 and 70 cents. If you only make one trip to the shopping centre rather than 4 trips (assuming a 10 km drive both ways) - you will save $750 per year (assuming 50 cents / km).
- Buy locally and reduce consumption of unnecessary items.
This will dramatically reduce your transport costs, weekly expenses and packaging waste.
- Install solar water heater, heat pump and/or solar panels.
The initial investment will start paying for itself after around 24 months.
- Stop buying bottled water.
If you buy one bottle of water every day you will save around $1,000 p.a. if you buy a reusable bottle instead and drink equally good tap water. Use a simple filter if required.
- Install AAA rated showerheads.
Doing so may cost as little as $5.00 and save as much as $250 per year on energy and water bills.
- Only purchase rechargeable batteries.
You can save $200 a year by using rechargeable batteries instead of disposables in one cd player used two hours a day.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs and switched to energy efficient light bulbs.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer.
Australian Rainforest Foundation on YouTube
Sign up to a GreenMobiles mobile cap plan to help save the Australian rainforests
Here are a few other ways you can offset the impact on our planet when you’re not on your mobile.
Reduce waste
Over 40% of an average Australian household’s waste thrown away is food, garden or wood waste. Think about composting or recycling your waste instead. Perhaps you could even start up a worm farm and experience the joy of a pet that you don't have to walk, wash or clean up after.
Chemical free cleaning.
Use fewer chemicals when cleaning.
Bicarbonate of soda with water is great for cleaning benches, sinks and windows and deodorising carpets. For cleaning floors and windows add a cup of vinegar to every 1 litre of warm water.
Don’t drive once a week
Take one less 10km car trip each week and you’ll cut your carbon emissions by 600kg a year. Ride your bike or walk wherever you can. By leaving your car at home for journeys up to 5km you could save around $1000 on fuel a year.
If at all possible, use public transport where possible. Jump on a bus, train or tram. Not only will this greatly increase your chances of meeting people, it will also give you the time to thumb through the pages of the Australian Financial Review and possibly help you increase your wealth as you decrease your carbon emissions.
Adjust the temperature
A difference of just one degree on the thermostat of your heater or air conditioner can reduce your energy consumption by 10%.
Think about your next flight
If you can avoid one Sydney to Melbourne return air trip, you’ll reduce your greenhouse pollution by 450kg. Could a conference call perhaps be enough?
Go red- not green
10% of Australian household electricity use goes on standby power. Turn off your blinking green light now.
If you want to save even more, when you aren't using them, turn your appliances off at the power point (not the fridge though!) - even the little red light needs to draw its energy from somewhere.
Fit a smarter showerhead
You’ll save up to 100,000 litres of water a year and use less energy heating your water.
Be a star performer
Insist on appliances with a high energy star rating. Again you’ll save money and reduce greenhouse pollution.
Don’t use plastic bags
One plastic bag can take up to 500 years to decay in landfill.
Non-woven reusable shopping bags have almost become the next fashion accessory anyway - you can get them in all shapes and sizes these days. Look out for the GreenMobiles™ reusable shopping bags... coming soon.
Plant a tree (or three)
Over a lifetime a tree can provide oxygen for two people for the rest of their lives - not only that, but they look great and certainly brighten up the place.
Don’t brush your teeth using running water
It wastes up to 9 litres of water a minute. That’s 26,000 litres of water per family a year.
Switch to Green Power at the same time as you change to us
The best way to reduce carbon is to buy accredited Green Power from your energy retailer. Of course, signing up for a GreenMobiles GreenCap mobile phone plan would be a good choice too!
For more tips go to:
- Australian Conservation Foundation - Eco Calculator
- Australian Government - Greenhouse gas emissions calculator
- Environmental Tips
- Australian Government Guides
