In South Africa, we have one great resource that we haven’t even come close to utilising properly and that is our many days of frequent sunshine; and thanks to the temperate climate, it should be easy to reduce your household carbon footprint. Here are some easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint without having to compromise on your comfortable lifestyle. And something to remember if you’re not the altruistic type: reduced carbon footprints often translate into reduced utility bills.
Laundry
Did you know that over 80% of the energy you use for washing clothes is for heating the water? Mostly a cold wash is sufficient to clean your clothes and it is preferred to remove some stains. Hot washes are best reserved for linen and towels which can become breeding grounds for bacteria. But even then you can opt to set your washing machine at 40°C rather than 60°C. Never start a wash without a full load; if you only have a few white items, rather give them a quick wash by hand.
The sun is the only tumble dryer you need and for those rare rainy days, why not buy an extra clothes horse to place under cover? Tumble dryers are very heavy on electricity, so replacing your dryer with the sun’s natural rays will do a lot to reduce your carbon footprint.
Shopping
As a consumer you have a carbon footprint bigger than you ever thought possible and the only way to reduce this is to shop sensibly. Every store you support has its own carbon footprint and it will only reduce its emissions if people stop demanding its products. Ask yourself, do I really need that porcelain cat or those candles made in china?
Shopping for local products is also a great way to do your bit for the environment. Local products haven’t burnt as much fossil fuel or petrol to get half way across the globe. Luckily, we South African’s are blessed with an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables (thanks again to all our solar power). Try to eat local seasonal fruit and vegetables as far as you can; these take less energy to produce and tend to be better value for money.
Appliances
In contrast to tumble dryers, dishwashers are actually better for the environment than hand washing. Although they use electricity, they use far less water and soap than you do when washing your dishes by hand. Keeping your fridge stocked up is also a good way to save on power as full freezers don’t ice-up and are more energy efficient. You can also reduce your carbon footprint when buying new appliances: appliances now have energy rating labels from A (for efficient) to G (for the most inefficient).
There are also plenty of ‘alternative energy’ appliances which you can invest in. Solar power is the big winner in energy efficiency in South Africa and it’s becoming more and more inexpensive; you can invest in solar panels for geysers, heating and electricity for the home.
What to know to reduce your carbon footprint: a short summary
• Local is good, made in china is bad
• Do cold water washes where you can
• Get into the habit of a seasonal fruit and vegetable diet; it’s health and it’s inexpensive
• Tumble dryers will send you straight to bunny hugger’s hell
• Get lazy and save the environment with a new dishwasher
• Solar power is the way forward
• Stock up your fridge (with aforementioned seasonal foods)
Now you can calculate your carbon footprint on your phone to see how much you can reduce it in the future. The cellular phone company, BulkSMS partnered with WWF to create South Africa’s first mobile carbon footprint calculator, called MyCO2Print. With these tips to help you reduce your carbon footprint, you’ll be saving energy and doing your bit for the environment.
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