The following guest blog post is by Appliances Online Australia, Australia’s largest online retailer for whitegoods and appliances…
Imagine a life without electricity… without having the luxury of turning on the lights on after the sun goes down, trying to prepare dinner without an oven, microwave and stove, or even the luxury of being able to blow dry and straighten your hair before a night out.
Electricity has become such an integral part of our everyday lives it’s pretty hard to imagine how we would survive without it; it provides us with instant entertainment and convenience.
But, it also happens to represent 50% of energy used in Australian households and comprises 85% of our country’s greenhouse gas emissions*.
Appliances can account for up to 30 per cent of home energy use**, but with the right knowledge and mindset we can live more sustainable lives and dramatically decrease this figure.
Using energy efficient appliances not only decreases carbon emissions but can also cut household electricity bills, yet many people still don’t fully understand the energy rating stars displayed on new appliances. Understanding this, along with the basic features and practicalities of products, can make a huge difference in helping you pick the right appliance to suit your needs.
Purchasing a new appliance can sometimes be overwhelming – but it needn’t be. Appliances Online have put together the following tips to help you understand energy ratings and how to reduce your carbon footprint.
Appliances Online tips to buying energy-efficient appliances & reducing your carbon emissions:
- Compare the energy star rating. The star rating gives a quick comparative assessment of the model’s energy efficiency, and should provide an estimate of the annual energy consumption of the appliance. The more stars the better; a five star water rating can help you save 21,000 litres of water a year – that’s a heap of money saved on water bills***.
AppliancesOnline.com.au allows you to filter through products according to their energy rating so you know you’re getting the best product available.
- Read through the instruction booklet online to ensure you’re aware of the different functions and options available on your appliance as many products have eco-friendly alternatives. For example, this Bosch Dishwasher has a half load option for the convenience of people living by themselves. This feature uses less water and electricity, which will save you money on bills.
- Be realistic; buy the product that is sized to your typical needs – not the biggest one available. Bigger appliances could drive up the price of water and electricity bills.
- Recycle old appliances. Electrical waste contains hazardous materials that end up in landfills. When new products are purchased from Appliances Online they are installed and old appliances are taken away for recycling.
- Turn your appliances off at the power point. Around 10% of household power use is drawn from appliances that are thought to be off but are actually on stand-by mode and are continuing to use power****.
Appliances Online take climate change very seriously and understand it’s not just about making changes at home but in the workplace as well. We strive to be a paperless office; we don’t print off any orders, everything’s done over the computer and then sent to our scanning guns in the warehouse.
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Now that you know more about energy efficient appliances – ENTER THE COMPETITION TO WIN 1 of 4 ENERGY EFFICIENT FRIDGE’S!
Appliances Online Australia and Electrolux have joined forces with 1 Million Women for this FREE competition. Every Thursday in July we are giving away ONE energy efficient Electrolux fridge. WOW! That’s 4 fridges to be won. Get your entry in today – ENTER HERE
To be a winner you have to be a member of 1 Million Women (you can join through our website or via Facebook), and you have to enter the competition via Facebook.
1 Million Women 
very informative. thank you for the information.