A lot of mainstream media attention is being given to taking better care of the planet. Every day, a new article appears referring to global warming and its catastrophic effects. Personally, I was convinced the mood had changed when I saw Kochie on Channel Seven’s (Sydney) Sunrise program urging the Federal Government to start investing in alternative energy schemes as part of their Cooling the Globe initiative. Finally, it seems, there’s a groundswell of support to address the problem. Just in the nick of time.

Home truths

If you caught Al Gore’s climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth, you’ll realise one of the main contributors to global warming is the use of fossil fuels to create energy (see Martin Oliver’s article on climate change in this issue). These fuels include coal for electricity and oil for petroleum. Burning these fuels creates damaging greenhouse-forming gases, mainly carbon dioxide. The gases form an atmospheric layer that traps heat between it and the Earth. As we now know, this artificial increase in the earth's temperature is tampering with the way the planet functions. Hence there are melting snowcaps, never-ending droughts and severe weather events.

The major contribution we can make to the problem on a personal level is to reduce our insatiable demand for electrical energy. Have a think about it: air-conditioners, home entertainment systems, appliances, lighting — you name it, electricity provides energy for most of your household needs. Do you know how electricity is mainly provided in Australia? It comes from burning that abundant but environmentally unsustainable fossil fuel called coal.

The Australian Greenhouse Office (www.ago.gov.au) provides statistics that show where our electrical energy use is concentrated: 

• 39 per cent of household energy is in heating/cooling.
• 27 per cent is in water-heating.
• 12 per cent is in general electrical appliances.
• 9 per cent is in refrigeration.
• 5 per cent is in lighting.
• 4 per cent is in cooking.
• 4 per cent is in other.

Unfortunately, we have become so accustomed to an over-consuming way of life that most people are daunted at the prospect of changing to a more energy-efficient lifestyle. Yet when you start thinking about it, the effort required to change your behaviour is not great, especially when the collective prize is the return to health of the planet. The bonus is you might even save yourself some money in the process.

So what's involved and where do you start? Here’s a guide to help you live an energy-efficient life, from building or renovating through to what you can do inside and outside your home.