Category Archives: Environment Tips

Water security and ideas to reduce your water consumption


Water security is the ability of a society to make sure that they keep on having the means to access potable water. It has become a growing dilemma as a result of many factors including population growth, drought, climate change, El Niño and La Niña, urbanisation, salinity, upstream pollution, over-allocation of water licences by and over use of groundwater from artesian basins ultimately causing a water crisis in several regions of the world.

A water crisis can be described as a scenario where the readily available potable, unpolluted water within a region is less than the demand.The United Nations along with other world organizations believe that there are several locations around the world that already have water crises such that it is a global issue.

The following are some solutions to lower your daily water consumption:

  • While washing dishes by hand, avoid letting the water run while you are rinsing. Fill one sink with water to wash and the other with water to rinse.
  • Water your lawn and garden when temperature conditions are cooler to reduce evaporation. If at all possible in the morning or evening hours.
  • Rinse off your vegetables and fruits in a pot of water as opposed to letting your tap run.
  • Accumulate the water you use to wash fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water indoor plants.
  • Spread out a layer of organic and natural mulch around plants which will help to retain moisture as well as saves water, time and money.
  • Start using a broom as opposed to a hose to clean your driveway and sidewalk.
  • Test your shower. In the event your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in under 20 seconds, substitute the shower head with a water-efficient model.
  • People are more prone to noticing leaks indoors, bear in mind to examine outdoor faucets, sprinklers and hoses for leaks.
  • When purchasing a new washing machine, give some thought to those that provide you with cycle and load size adjustments. They’re significantly more water and energy efficient.
  • Upgrade older toilets with water efficient units.

Simple convenient solutions to save energy and money



Do you dislike the arrival of your monthly electricity bill and yet end up reluctant or not able to invest the cash necessary to convert your home into a self-sustainable house. Nowadays, it’s even more of a win-win than ever before to reduce and save money on electricity. Any time you reduce your electricity bills, you put additional money straight into bank account. Reducing electricity bills will also mean a reduced amount of energy consumed, which translates to significantly less harmful emissions introduced into the environment. What makes this an even better deal is basically that you don’t have to renovate your home (or perhaps purchase a new one) to make it a great deal more energy efficient.

There are several simple, far more convenient solutions to save energy and money.




Remove and replace your incandescent light bulbs with power saving CFL’S

Among the most effective ways to avoid wasting electricity is simply by getting rid of your incandescent lightbulbs. Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) utilize 75% less power when compared with old incandescent bulbs, as well as last considerably longer. Keep in mind that CFLs contain small quantities of harmful chemicals, as a result it is advisable to dispose of them safely and securely. The most effective way is always to take them to safe ‘drop off’ points. New ‘light-emitting diodes’, or LEDs, are substantially more efficient than CFLs, in addition to lasting 130 times longer than CFL bulbs. Having said that, they have limited applications in homes at this time, but are excellent substitutes for halogen down-lighting. They save quite possibly the most energy; and even though they might be at present highly-priced the cost will be coming down as the technology develops.


Use power strips

Connect your electronic devices directly into power strips and switch off at night when the electronic devices commonly are not being used. This is applicable to computers, printers, TVs, DVD players and stereos along with lights and other appliances. Turn off appliances at the wall plug, instead of leaving them on standby simply because this can continue to draw approximately 20% or even more of typical electricity use. Switching your electronics off during the night with a power strip can help to conserve as much as 10 percent on your electricity bill.



Reduce your geyser temperature

Maintaining the geyser temperature at 60 degrees celsius utilizes substantially less electricity (energy) as compared to maintaining a temperature of 70 degrees celsius. This is most effective when geyser and pipes are insulated. Don’t reduce it below 60 degrees celsius for health reasons. Insulate the geyser with a geyser ‘blanket’ to optimize heat retention. First Verify heat loss simply by using a basic ‘hand test’. In the event that the geyser is warm then it’s shedding heat and requires more effective insulation. In particular with older geysers. Furthermore, dont forget to turn off the geyser when you are going on vacation.




Regulate your heating and air conditioning

It is highly recommended to set your thermostat to 20 degrees celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) whenever you are home and 12.8 degrees celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit) during the night. Wear a sweater in the daytime and make use of an additional blanket at night. Make use of fans to cool down. During the summer time, utilize stationary, ceiling and whole-house fans to cool down your house, as a consequence decreasing the necessity for air conditioning.


Ensure that your freezer is full

A further recommendation is to maintain a full freezer. A full freezer is far more efficient and cost-effective than one with only a few products in it. Purchase in season fruits and vegetables and freeze them for use throughout the year. Make an additional casserole or portion of stew and keep it in the freezer for a hassle-free meal in the future. Whenever you cook you should definitely make extra in order to enjoy a few no-cook or low-cook meals. Leftover meats, poultry and fish can be combined with salads or useful for sandwiches. Extra vegetables could very well be added to eggs for a quick omelet or perhaps to cooked rice for a light lunch.


Insulate the ceiling and roof

A ceiling and good roof insulation is able to keep the home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. More comfortable indoor temperatures translates to considerably less dependence on electrical heating and air conditioning. Insulating other areas of your home can also help, however, the greatest savings come from roof insulation.


Install weather strip protection

In combination with thinking about whether or not your house has a sufficient amount of insulation, it’s also advisable to look for any small cracks and gaps where air is leaking into and out of your home. Ensure that your doors and windows are effectively sealed. This will certainly save energy by preventing hot air (in winter) or cool air (in summer) from escaping.



Switch off lights whenever you leave a room

Never leave the lights on. Despite the fact that it usually is convenient to have the garage light on whenever you open the door, it does not take a whole lot of effort and hard work to turn it on. Every time you leave a room, simply turn off the lights.


Utilize a smaller amount of hot water

Decrease the amount of hot usage by taking a shower as opposed to a bath. Furthermore, take shorter showers. Install an efficient shower head. A good, modern product will conserve both water and electricity without having to compromise your shower experience, and the saving more often than not will pay for the investment within a few weeks or months. Only fill up the kettle as much as you need it. As opposed to doing small loads of dishes or laundry, hold off until the washing machine or dishwasher is full. Performing fewer loads will reduce energy as well as water expenses. Use cold water where possible for laundry washing.


Make use of energy-efficient home appliances

For anyone who is in the market for new appliances, ensure that you look for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star label prior to making a purchase. Energy Star home appliances use somewhere between 10 and 50 percent less energy and water when compared to their conventional counterparts. They may well be more expensive than appliances without the Energy Star designation, nevertheless in most cases they will more than make up that additional cost as a result of energy savings.



Tips to Save Electricity in your Household

Every year electricity gets more and more expensive. Read on to find out how you can save electricity and money with this handy selection of energy saving tips.


Say No to Unwatched Television or Radio: Many individuals have a tendency to leave the television and radio unattended in the living room while they are in a different area of the home! The appliances are serving no one.

Make use of Ceiling Fan: Cuts down on the use of air-conditioner if at all possible. Make use of a ceiling fan as an alternative simply because it uses significantly less electricity. Consequently, lower electricity bill month after month.

Washing laundry with Hands: Washing machines seem like the best option with regards to laundry. Make an effort to to do laundry by hand especially if ther is not too much and easy to wash. Alternatively, accumulate laundry and wash it in one shot, making use of the washing machine.

Minimize using the geyser: The geyser is probably the the one appliance that uses the most electricity. In the event the weather conditions are not cold, bath with cold water. Instead of taking a bath rather take a shower. Make use of an egg timer to reduce shower time. Switch off your geyser when not in use.

Use Natural Sunlight to dry your clothes: Dry your clothes in the sunshine as opposed to putting them in the dryer. Ultraviolet ray also helps to kill bacteria.


Use “Energy saver” Bulb: Switch the normal fluorescent bulb to the long life ‘energy saver’ bulb. Receive the exact same amount brightness but bill lower your monthly electricity bill.

Regularity to Refrigerator: The refrigerator is not your cupboard. Avoid opening and closing your refrigerator frequently. Take out everything you need all at once – ingredients, food or whatever it is in one go. It contributes greatly to saving on your electricity bill in addition to preserving the content of your refrigerator fresh.

Sleep Mode On: In the event the that your desktop or laptop do not have overnight completing tasks, set your computer to enter into “sleep mode”. Better yet, shut down your computer overnight and save a little money!

Turn off Lights: Remember to turn off lights at all times when leaving a room.You can always turn them on when re-entering the room.

Switch Off Plugs : Switch off all the plugs that are not being used. Regardless of whether it is connected to the cellphone charger, camera charger or anything. This is to prevent the utilization of electricity despite the fact that in is in standby mode.


Turn off unnecessary office lights


When you save money on your utilities, you are also reducing the amount of energy and water you consume. This, coupled with recycling, reusing and reducing the products you consume are the easiest ways to turn your apartment green.

Common sense techniques are difficult to make habits. Everyone knows that it is important to turn off lights when you leave the room, turn off running water when you are brushing your teeth, but it is only by repetition do these conservation efforts become habit.