Practical solutions to minimize the impact of the carbon tax
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How to minimise the impact of the carbon tax. We’ve put together a list of ways that you can cut down on the cost impact that the carbon tax is going to have on your life. There are some easy wins, as well as some big wins. Alternatively, you can sit back and do nothing and cop the full impact of the impending prices rises. Not likely? Well here’s a practical guide to minimising the impact that the carbon tax has on your hip pocket.
Quick Wins - Quick ways to reduce the impact of the Carbon Tax
Without doubt the Carbon Tax is designed to encourage Australians to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels that pollute our atmosphere with carbon. So, the quickest wins are going to be those where you can instantly reduce your use of fossil fuels.
Change your Behaviour
By far the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is to change your behaviour. Instead of leaving your heating on all night, maybe choose to go to bed with a thicker doona or an extra blanket. Instead of setting the heating at 21 degrees in winter, settle for 20 degrees or even 19 (every extra degree is costing you money).
Other easy behaviours to change that will cut your energy usage include:
- Turn lights off
- Only ever use energy efficient light globes
- Block drafts in your home, especially from doors and windows. This will help cut your heating and cooling costs
- Turn off appliances that don’t need to be on. Such as a spare refrigerator, home computers, televisions, game consoles, etc.
Identify energy guzzling appliances
A number of appliances around your home may be consuming too much energy, making your energy bills (and carbon footprint) higher than they should be!
The biggest culprits around the home are:
- The refrigerator
- Heating and Cooling
- The Hot Water System
Here’s a great guide on how to go about cutting down on their costs: /article/practical-solutions-to-minimize-the-impact-of-the-carbon-tax/
Drive Less
Ironically, the Prime Minister has outlined that the Carbon Tax will not apply to Petrol (see: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-03/pm-rules-out-carbon-tax-on-petrol/2780490 ). That said, petrol (and oil) are major contributors to the amount of carbon released into our atmosphere, so if you’re genuinely passionate about reducing your carbon footprint you should consider ways that you can drive less.
Ways to cut down on your driving include:
- Finding work closer to your home and eliminate your daily commute.
- Walk, ride or take public transport to work instead.
- Conduct meetings over the phone or internet. Not every meeting needs to be face to face. This is also a great way of improving your overall productivity.
Relatively Easy Wins - Relatively easy ways to reduce the impact of the Carbon Tax
Ways to cut your energy usage and avoid these price increases include:
Insulation
Insulation helps significantly reduce your home’s heating and cooling costs. To further reduce your costs you can install:
Big Wins - Big ways to cut the impact of the Carbon Tax
Build a 6 star rated home
Build or renovate your home so that it meets today's 6 star energy rating. You can even speak to your Builder and request that you go for a 7 or 8 star rated home. This will dramatically cut your home energy bills, even after the Carbon Tax!
Double Glazing
Double glazing helps turn your windows into insulation.
Get Double Glazing Quotes here.
Solar Panels
This is a great way of avoiding future increases in electricity bills, and (of course) cut down on your carbon footprint.
Solar Hot Water
Similar to solar panels, you can install a Solar Hot Water system to harness the power of the sun to heat up your home’s hot water. This saves you money by minimising the amount of gas or electricity that your home uses.
Get Solar Hot Water Quotes here.
Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling
There is a broad range of energy efficient heating and cooling options on the market, ranging from energy efficient split systems and central heating and cooling systems, to systems that rely on natural energy such as that from the sun and even geo-thermal energy.
To explore these options in depth you will need to speak with an airconditioning specialist.
Get Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling Quotes here.
Skylights
Reduce your home’s lighting bll be introducing more natural lighting into your home. Skylights are a great way to improve the look and feel of your home whilst also cutting your electricity bill.
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It's not the carbon tax that is the problem. It's those service charges which even attract 10% GST that you have to pay even if you use zero electricity or gas. Utilities won't even list the carbon tax as a separate item. Not having to itemize the CT is what is so dishonest.
over a year ago by Tim
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