Saving energy is very simple – but first and foremost we all need a cultural change. We have to stop taking our mindless use of energy for granted. We must appreciate and understand what switching on a lamp involves. Only then can we open our minds to changing our “bad” habits regarding energy use – and unfortunately it is a very true fact that at most times, we are needlessly wasting a lot of energy.

The aim of this series of articles is to inform and show how simple ideas can save energy and resources. We will all benefit from this, as the advantages are a decrease in energy consumption, less utility tariff bills and a cleaner environment. Who wouldn’t like to receive cheaper utility bills?

There are proven ways on how to save energy by changing wasteful habits – all we need to do is discipline ourselves to use these energy saving ideas, and turn them into a habit. There are many practical ways and different applications one can use everyday to save energy – in fact most of the following tips are simply corrective measures on widespread wrong use.

Switch off…!

To start off, I urge you to switch off now all appliances and any other standby equipment such as mobile chargers, external power supplies, modems, PCs, TVs, DVD players, satellite decoders / set-top boxes that currently aren’t being used. With the standby “red indicator bulb” on, the device is still consuming considerable amounts of energy – reason why standby devices still heat up. Switching off such standby devices from the main supply (and not just from the remote control) will easily save up to five to 10 per cent on your energy bills.

Water

We all think that saving energy is all about lighting and electricity, but we keep forgetting that water production is by far one of the largest energy consumers due to the fact that we have very limited water resources on our island. Thus if we save on water, apart from the fact that we save money on our water bills, we are also substantially helping to reduce local energy demand.

In our homes, the three areas where we use most water are:

• Flushing

• Washing

• Outdoor use

Nearly 35 per cent of our water consumption is used for flushing. Thus consider using a half flush system rather than a full one. If your flushing unit does not have this half flush option, you can use the older idea of filling up a water bottle and placing it horizontally in the flushing unit.

As for washing / bathing, economising on water levels in baths is unhygienic, so there is no other way to save water here other than just taking a shower. In fact it is much more economical to have a shower as much less water is used. If needed, rather than one bath, it is better to have two showers at different times of the day. On the other hand, when having a shower, one should not stand under the shower for long – otherwise the whole point of saving water is lost. Using low-flow showerheads and cut-off valves helps to further save on water bills.

We also need to try and reduce outdoor water use as much as possible, such as car washing and general outdoor cleaning. If this is necessary we need to make this efficient by using buckets and not hose pipes.

It is important that we do not let water run continuously while shaving, washing teeth or hair. Installing tap limiters can save 40 per cent of running water. Also, where applicable, consider replacing worn out tap mixers with either Sensor Activated or Button Press ones.

Try to collect all the rainwater possible and make good use of it. I know people who manage to turn off their main water supply for six to eight months of the year.

I also urge you to report water faults at once and to report illegal water extraction to the relevant authorities.

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Next week: Lighting