Climate Change/Mitigation Strategies/Home


 * Only fill the kettle with the minimum amount of water. Never boil more water than you need.  If the kettle is on for only 2 minutes per boil then you emit about 100kg of CO2 every year.  If it's on for 4 minutes per boil then you emit 200kg of CO2.  (maths: 2kW x 365 days per year x (2minutes / 60) hours x 10 times per day x 0.43 kg of CO2 per kiloWatt hour = 105 kg of CO2 per year)
 * boil water in the microwave instead of the stove top.
 * Turn the cooker down as low as you can. For example, if you're boiling an egg then put the gas / hob on full until the water boils, and then reduce the heat.  The water will continue to boil but you'll be using less energy.
 * Next time you need to replace a light bulb, use a fluorescent lamp instead of an incandescent lamp. A 20 watt fluorescent lamp gives as much light as a 60 watt incandescent lamp &mdash; an incandescent lamp converts only 10% of its power into light; most of the rest gets converted into heat. (But because of this, switching to a fluorescent lamp may make the room feel colder.)
 * Reduce the number of lamps in a room. One 60 watt lamp may provide sufficient light instead of two 40 watt lamps.
 * Consider solar power. But do the homework in terms of cost and benefit before making a decision.
 * Use Energy Star-compliant and similarly energy-efficient appliances.
 * Use rechargeable batteries. This reduces the number of dead batteries to be trashed, and hence the amount of hazardous chemicals in landfills.
 * If your home computer doesn't need to be 'always on' (e.g., it is not used for work), consider consolidating your computer usage to only a few hours every day. Turn the computer off the rest of the day.
 * Use draft instead of air conditioning during hot days.
 * Plant a tree(s) so shadow will reduce heat during hot days.
 * In the winter, set your thermostat at 68 degrees in the daytime and 55 degrees at night. In the summer, keep it at 78.
 * Showering uses up 40% less water than a bath.
 * Install low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators.
 * Wash full loads in your dishwasher and use short cycles for all but the dirtiest dishes.
 * Set the appropriate water level for different size loads in your clothes washer, wash in cold water when practical, and always rinse in cold.
 * Don't use dryer to dry you clothes after washing. Let them dry themselves on hangers or rope in natural way.
 * Wrap your water heater in a water heater blanket, especially if it's located in an unheated part of the house. This prevents heat loss through radiation.
 * Opt-out from unwanted mailings: credit card offers, free newspapers, catalogs, advertisement, etc.
 * Use Internet for latest news or library for newspaper/magazine articles.
 * Bring reusable bags with you when you need to visit stores.