According to new research, an overwhelming majority of Aussies agree that kids are the biggest energy wasters in the home, with screens primarily to blame.
Leading energy comparison service comparethemarket.com.au commissioned a survey of an independent, nationally representative panel of 1087 Australian adults to gauge energy habits at home across the generations.
75 per cent of respondents believe that kids are the biggest household energy wasters, with 58 per cent admitting teenagers and young adults are the worst offenders.
When presented with a list of home energy uses and asked where kids and teens waste the most energy, 60 per cent of respondents chose TVs, computers and game consoles. 59 per cent said not switching off lights, and 39 per cent chose charging devices for unnecessarily long periods, and through air-conditioner and heater usage.
Rod Attrill, money expert at comparethemarket.com.au, said: “Whether it is keeping lights or TVs on when they leave the room, blasting the air conditioner, or throwing just one item in the washing machine, kids are notorious energy wasters. But there are many easy energy-saving tricks parents can teach their kids, to help families save hundreds a year on energy bills and also reduce their carbon footprint.”
Rod provides 8 tips parents should teach their energy-guzzling kids:
We love our gadgets so much that we often drain the battery during the day and end up charging them throughout the night. It only costs around 75 cents a year to fully recharge an iPhone but given that it takes about two hours to fully charge, you should be unplugging chargers at the wall to prevent unnecessary power usage and added costs to your bills.
Little items like a desk lamp, electric clock or mobile phone charger are drawing power even when they are not in use. Other electronics on standby power can account for more than 10 per cent of your electricity use. Get in the habit of turning electronics off at the wall, and your household could save up to $193 a year.
Many kids have a terrible habit of leaving the TV on when they leave the room. If this sounds familiar then it’s time to get them to break that habit! Also, keep in mind the bigger the screen, the more energy it uses. It’s best to aim for a moderate-sized screen when upgrading the TV, and make sure you ask about its standby energy score.
A half-empty washing machine uses just as much energy as a full machine. Have the kids wait to wash their clothes along with the rest of the family’s items. This also applies to items in driers and dishwashers. Try to run the washing machine, dryer or dishwasher only when they are full.
Using a clothesline instead of a dryer wherever possible can save you around $79 a year. If kids do use the dryer, teach them how to use it efficiently, such as to avoid placing dripping wet clothes in the dryer, and not scheduling it to run for longer than needed.
Electricity bills vary but they all contain the same vital information. Getting the kids to review your bills can help them to understand the costs you face. It’ll also stand them in good stead for when they have to pay their own bills.
Limit kids’ TV time to no more than two hours a day and encourage them to get outside more. Consider removing TVs or computers from their bedrooms and place them in a shared area, making it easier to monitor how much time they spend in front of their screens.
You can cut cooling costs by 10 per cent by setting an air conditioner just one degree warmer. Teach kids to set temperatures on air conditioners to no cooler than 24 degrees during summer and heaters to 22 degrees in winter. Make sure kids also know to close doors and windows in the room when the air conditioner is on and to turn it off when no one is at home.
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