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Growing sustainability awareness is making a positive impact in the world, but many still struggle with implementing sustainable practices at home, From our energy consumption to our water usage, our homes - and our role within them - leave a significant footprint. Whilst a single individual cannot make a significant impact on their own, collectively, our choices can lead to positive change. By changing things within our realm of control, we can look to reduce both our carbon footprint, as well as our use of resources.
At Altogether Group, we empower individual households to embrace sustainability at home in a way that's both impactful and achievable, from using recycled water and renewable energy to monitoring utility usage to prevent wastage. We’ll be exploring simple measures that can be taken at home to live more sustainably, from conserving water and energy to using renewable utilities.
Energy production and water consumption are two of the largest issues the world is facing, both of which can be reduced by sustainable practices. As individuals, it can be difficult to justify making positive changes - particularly if they are more difficult to implement - and to downplay our role in the bigger picture, but collectively, we can make a difference.
Many energy providers still use traditional power sources like coal and gas that emit harmful greenhouse gasses when burned, which negatively affect the environment. Although it is far more beneficial to choose a more sustainable provider, energy conservation practices and conscious choices for sustainability at home can drastically reduce your energy usage and environmental impact. Energy-efficient appliances with high Energy Star ratings not only consume significantly less power, but they can save you money on your energy bills whilst reducing your environmental footprint. Similarly, switching from traditional incandescent bulbs to LED can result in far less energy expenditure and far longer lifecycles.
Whilst it might not seem like it, the electricity used by electronics in standby mode can add up to drain significant amounts of energy. By unplugging unused electronics or using smart power devices that automatically shut off power, you can save a substantial amount of money. If you use air conditioning in the summer or heating in the winter, by using it less, you can save on both energy and power. Additionally, air drying laundry - particularly in the summer - is an easy step that can be taken that not only conserves energy but can also extend the life of your clothes as well.
Ensuring Australia’s long-term water security is a priority, however, there are several challenges that we are facing. With projections suggesting less rainfall in years to come and a growing reliance on desalinisation, we need to prevent excessive water use that can deplete local water reserves and strain treatment facilities.
Small steps can be taken in different areas of the home. In the bathroom, installing a low-flow shower head can reduce water usage by up to 50% without sacrificing shower quality, and shaving a few minutes off your shower can make a big difference. Even small leaks can result in litres of water being poured down the sink each day, and by fixing leaky faucets promptly, you can save water and money on your water bills.
Kitchen and laundry often have a lot of wastage, so whether you’re loading the dishwasher or the washing machine, you should only do laundry when you have a full load. Running half-empty loads wastes both water and energy. Although it might seem more efficient to wash dishes by hand, dishwashers can help to save water.
At Altogether Group, we empower individuals and communities to take control of their power and water with our renewable sources. From utilising solar or wind power to using recycled water for your garden, small changes that won’t impact your standard of living can be implemented for big results. This reduces your reliance on fossil fuels and lowers your carbon footprint. Our advocation for sustainable practices and sustainability at home can not only help individuals to become more conscious of their actions, but it can also help to bring communities together as well. By making small changes at home, we can all contribute to a greener and brighter future for Australia for many years to come.
If you would like to learn more about how to live sustainably at home or how our utility services can benefit your community, get in touch with us today.
At Altogether, we deliver reliable, localised essential services to over 400 communities across Australia. From world-leading recycled water systems to efficient embedded energy networks in high-rise communities, and smart grids in small communities, we're determined to do the right thing by our customers, and by the planet. As a multi-utility service provider, it’s our mission to make the world a brighter place, and we do that by offering sustainable power, water and data services.
