Low Carbon Lifestyles at Home

Switch to energy efficient devices

Lighting

• Change just 5 lamps in your home to more energy efficient ones. By doing this, you can
  • Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 37 to 278 kg
  • Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 37-278 kg is equivalent to 3-27 additional trees.
  • Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 266 to Rs 2014

Electrical Appliances

Buy BEE 5 star rated appliances

• Use a BEE 5 star rated refrigerator
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 101 kg
• Reduce annual electricity bills by around Rs 730
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 101 kg is equivalent to 10 additional trees.
• Use BEE 5 star rated split air conditioners (1.5 tons)
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 197 kg per air conditioner
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 197 kg is equivalent to 19 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 1428 per air conditioner.
• Use BEE 5 star rated fans
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 46 kg on every fan
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 46 kg is equivalent to 4 additional trees.
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 334 on every fan

Go Solar

• Power your home using solar photovoltaic energy -A 640 Wp Photovoltaic panel can power 5 tubelights and 3 fans for 300 days of the year
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 617 kg
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 4480
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 617 kg is equivalent to 61 additional trees
• Switch to a solar inverter for your electricity requirements during power cuts - A 1 kWp photovoltaic panel generates 4 kWh power if there is sunshine for 5 hours. It occupies an area of around 10 m²
• With a 1kWp system, reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 984 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 984 kg is equivalent to 98 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 7140 for 25 years
• Install a solar water heater
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 687 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 687 kg is equivalent to 68 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 4986
• Do not buy voltage stabilizers for equipment that do not need them
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 359 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 359 kg is equivalent to 36 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bill by Rs 2606

Practice Energy Efficiency

• Reduce the temperature setting on the geyser
• Geysers come with a factory setting of 60°C but water at 40°C is enough for a comfortable bath
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 172 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 172 kg is equivalent to 17 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by 1247
• Use the geyser efficiently
• Bathe in quick succession and don't keep the geyser on for longer than necessary
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 344 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 344 kg is equivalent to 34 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 2493
• Eat together
• Heat food at one go to reduce unnecessary use of the microwave oven for just 5 mins a day
• Reduce annual CO ₂ emissions by 30 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 30 kg is equivalent to 3 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 217
• Use a cold cycle in the washing machine
• Energy required to heat water for a hot wash cycle is high and therefore better avoided. Reduce just two hot wash cycles per week
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 64 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 64 kg is equivalent to 6 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 464
• Dry your clothes in the sun
• Just one washload a week dried on a line instead of a dryer can make a difference
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 371 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 371 kg is equivalent to 37 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 2692
• Switch off all appliances at the plug point and not with a remote
• Switch off the HD set top box at the plug point when you turn off the TV
• Reduce annual CO ₂ emissions by 135 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 135 kg is equivalent to 13 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 977
• Go out and play instead of watching TV or playing on a device
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 22 - 89 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 22-89 kg is equivalent to 2-9 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 159 - 643
• Use a table lamp for studying. It provides better task based lighting
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 57 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 57 kg is equivalent to 5 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 413
• Turn off lights and fans when not in use
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 26 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 26 kg is equivalent to 2 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 186
• Do an hour of yoga instead of running on a treadmill
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 446 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 446 kg is equivalent to 44 additional trees
• Reduce annual electricity bills by Rs 3238

Conserve Water

• Install water efficient showers and faucets. Use water carefully
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 75 - 189 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 75-189 kg is equivalent to 7-19 additional trees
• Change flush tanks in the bathrooms
  • Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 39 - 99 kg
  • Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 39-99 kg is equivalent to 4-10 additional trees
• Harvest Rainwater
  • Harvest 1000 litres per household per day over 40 days of rainfall
  • In half an hour, a rooftop of 100 m² can harvest 1000 litres in a downpour of 25 mm/hr
  • Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 27 - 68 kg
  • Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 27-68 kg is equivalent to 2-7 additional trees

Be Fuel Efficient

• Regularly inflate vehicle tyres
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 140 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 140 kg is equivalent to 14 additional trees
• Reduce annual fuel costs by Rs 3864
• Switch off the ignition at traffic red lights
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 85 - 122 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 85-122 kg is equivalent to 8-12 additional trees
• Reduce annual fuel costs by Rs 2532 - 3351
• Driving at a steady 45 km/hr on highways gives you the best fuel economy
• For a distance of 500 kms of highway driving
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 32 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 32 kg is equivalent to 3 additional trees
• Reduce annual fuel costs by Rs 356
• Walk if you need to go short distance. Do not drive
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 9 - 63 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 9-63 kg is equivalent to 1-6 additional trees
• Reduce annual fuel costs by Rs 271 - 1712

Reduce Waste

• Do not waste food
• Reduce food waste by just 1 kg/day
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 118 - 470 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 118 - 470 kg is equivalent to 11-47 additional trees
• Carry a reusable bag when you go shopping. Refuse additional packaging and reuse bags as much as possible
• Reduce just one paper or plastic bag a day
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 11 - 28 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 11 - 28 kg is equivalent to 1-2 additional trees

Practice fuel efficiency in the kitchen

• Use the pressure cooker daily
• Reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 135 kg
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 135 kg is equivalent to 13 additional trees
• Reduce annual fuel costs by Rs 1265
• Use fuel efficient cooking methods
• Reduce gas usage by 20 mins a day per household
• Reduce gas usage by 20 mins a day per household
• Annual CO₂ emission reduction of 67 kg is equivalent to 6 additional trees
• Reduce annual fuel costs by Rs 632
• Use fuel efficient biomass cookstoves. Reduce usage of wood and time
• Reduce annual CO₂ equivalent emissions by 1220 kg per household
• Fuel efficient cooking techniques:
• Cover cooking pots and pans with lids
• Reduce the flame once food starts boiling
• Use optimum quantity of water for cooking
• Keep all ingredients ready and at hand before turning on the gas
• Use broad bottom vessels
• Allow refrigerated food to come to room temperature before heating it
• Clean the burners regularly
• Soak rice, dal etc. for some time before cooking
• Eat together so that food is not heated multiple time

Source : Toolkit on Low Carbon Lifestyles