Acknowledgement

These hints and tips at how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in your home have been sourced from the Australian Greenhouse Office website. www.greenhouse.gov.au

Cooling Global Warming at Home

Global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. The main greenhouse gases are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, as well as some manufactured gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and some of their replacements.

Reducing the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity - particularly by burning of fossil fuels and land clearing - is increasingly being recognised as an important issue by governments, industry and the community.

Australian households generate almost one-fifth of Australia's greenhouse gases - about 15 tonnes per household each year - through everyday activities such as transport, household energy use and the decay of household waste in landfills.

All stated greenhouse gas emissions relating to electricity use are averaged across Australia, except Tasmania where hydro-electricity generates little greenhouse gas.

Why we should care

If people around the world do not act to control global warming, scientists have predicted:

• a rise in the Earth's temperature between 1.4°C to 5.8 °C by 2100;
  
• higher sea levels as oceans expand and glaciers melt - from 9 and 88 centimetres by 2100; and
  
• complicated changes in weather patterns, such as more severe droughts and floods, and higher rainfall intensity.
  

Save money and cool global warming

An average family can save three or more tonnes of greenhouse gases and hundreds of dollars each year by taking simple actions around the home. Some of these actions involve hot water.

Household Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The use of energy-efficient products by households has the potential to reduce their energy-generated greenhouse gas emissions by between 43 and 54%. This would reduce Australia's total emissions by about 5% annually.

Water Heating

How can I save?

• Water heating accounts for about 16% of an average household's total greenhouse gas emissions, and 25% of energy use.
  
• Water heating is the second largest source of household greenhouse gas emissions after transport.

Which appliance and fuel?

• Consider installing a solar hot water system with a booster - gas boosted is best. This will reduce both your hot water bills and greenhouse gas emissions.
  
• When selecting a solar hot water system ensure that its size matches your hot water needs.
  
• Use less hot water
  
• Take shorter showers.
  
• Showers are the biggest user of hot water in your home. Install a AAA rated water efficient showerhead: this will save more than half a tonne of emissions each year if you have an electric water heater. They will also save you many dollars in hot water bills and pay for themselves very quickly. Best of all, they won't affect the quality of your shower.
  
• Avoid using small amounts of hot water if cold water will do. Each time you run the hot tap, one litre or more of cold water that was previously heated goes down the sink before hot water is delivered. Greenhouse gases have been generated in heating this wasted water.

Capture heat before it is lost

• Fix dripping hot taps: save up to 100 kilograms each year per tap.
  
• If the TPR valve drain from your hot water service runs continuously (or significantly more than the typical overflow of 10 litres per day) call a plumber and save hundreds of kilograms each year.

Design for water and energy efficiency

• Ensure exposed hot water pipes are well insulated, with insulation at least 13 millimetres thick.
  
• When selecting a site for your solar hot water service, position it so that the pipes to often-used outlets are as short as possible.
  
• If you have gas water heating, your greenhouse gas emissions and emissions saved are about one-third of the amounts quoted above. Solar water heating can generate even lower greenhouse gas emissions.
  

Note: Greenhouse gas savings stated are averaged for electric water heating in most parts of Australia, except Tasmania where hydro-electricity generates little greenhouse gas.