Many people ask how to stop climate change at home, or what the most practical ways to tackle climate change actually are on a household level.
While global action matters, small improvements at home can reduce electricity use, cut costs, and lower emissions without sacrificing comfort.
Below are five simple, realistic ways to reduce your home’s carbon footprint and also help lower your power bill.
1) Heating and cooling
Heating and cooling are often the biggest drivers of household electricity use.
A simple starting point is your thermostat. In winter, try setting the temperature around two degrees cooler than you normally would. In summer, set the air conditioner around two degrees warmer. Small changes like this can add up across the year.
It also helps to plan ahead. On very hot days, it can be more efficient to cool the home earlier and maintain a steady temperature, rather than waiting until the house is already overheated and trying to bring it down fast.
If your system is older or struggling, upgrading to a more efficient option can reduce energy usage long term. Make sure the system is correctly sized for the space and installed properly, because performance and efficiency depend heavily on setup.
We have some more tips here on how you can heat your home in the most energy efficient way possible to save on your power bills.
2) Lighting
Lighting is one of the easiest upgrades you can make.
If you’re still using older halogen or incandescent globes, switching to LEDs can significantly reduce electricity use. LEDs also last much longer, which means fewer replacements over time.
A practical approach is to start with the lights you use the most like kitchens, living areas, hallways, and outdoor lights that run at night. Even changing a handful of light globes can make a noticeable difference.
It’s also worth checking for inefficient fittings and old transformers, especially if you’re dealing with older downlights. In many homes, upgrading lighting is a straightforward way to cut energy use without changing how you live.
It’s not just the environment that wins: replacing the lighting in your home with low energy options can save you more than 60% on your household electricity bills.
Use our LED saving calculator to find out just how much you could stand to gain by having our Sydney maintenance electricians help you switch over to LED lights.
3) Choose GreenPower or renewable energy
If you want a direct way to reduce the impact of your electricity use, look at GreenPower options through your energy retailer.
GreenPower is accredited renewable electricity that helps increase demand for renewable generation.
You can usually choose to offset a portion of your electricity use or move to 100% GreenPower. The cost will vary depending on the percentage of renewable energy you choose to buy, but to put it in perspective, the average household could switch to 100% GreenPower for just an extra $8 per week.
If you own your home, rooftop solar may also be worth considering depending on your roof, shading, and usage patterns. Solar can reduce grid electricity use during the day and lower long-term running costs.
4) Cut standby power
Many appliances keep using electricity even when they look “off”. This is called standby power. TVs, entertainment systems, chargers, and office gear are common examples.
The simplest fix is to switch devices off at the wall when you’re not using them, but this can be inconvenient if power points are hard to reach.
A practical solution is to use a smart power board or switching setup that turns multiple devices off together. Some systems can detect when a main device is off and automatically shut down accessories.
An Eco Switch is a clever contraption that allows you to completely eliminate the ‘stand-by’ electricity usage on your appliances, saving up to 10% of your energy consumption and reducing carbon production by around 800kg in a year.
As you can see, it really pays to reduce your usage of ‘standby’ across the course of a year.
5) Buy energy-efficient appliances
Appliances can make up a large share of household energy use (around 30% of all home energy use) so it pays to choose efficient models when it’s time to replace something.
In Australia, Energy Rating Labels help you compare options across categories like fridges, freezers, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, air conditioners, and TVs.
When comparing products, look at both the star rating and the estimated annual energy use. A higher star rating is usually better, but the best choice depends on the appliance size and how you use it.
If you want to check how your current appliances compare, you can also use online government comparison tools to see typical energy use and running costs.
In the end, it’s the simple changes that add up
Reducing your home’s carbon footprint doesn’t need to be painful, instead a few small optimisations can make the world of difference.
If you focus on smarter heating and cooling, efficient lighting, reducing standby power, choosing renewable energy, and prioritising energy-efficient appliances, you can lower electricity use and cut costs while also reducing emissions.
If you want help identifying where your home is wasting power, an energy-efficiency check can highlight the easiest upgrades and the changes most likely to pay off.
Contact your local electrical experts
Alternatively, you can also start by talking to your friendly, local electrician. At Electric Express Solutions, our electricians are fully licensed, insured and have over 30 years experience in the industry.
We provide both general electrical, emergency electrical and level 2 electrical services to Sydney’s inner west, upper north shore, north shore and the northern beaches.
Our team of professional electricians are waiting for your enquiry. Give us a ring on 0411 188 492 to get started or send us an enquiry through our website.
