What you can do now
In a typical home, electricity for lighting costs about $100 and generates around 20,000 balloons of greenhouse gas each year.
Check your light usage with these actions
For each action you have or will implement in your home, collect it by adding it to the My Actions panel (right), to see the difference you can achieve
Action:
Turn lights off
Don't leave the lights on when no one is in the room. If you are going to be out of the room for more than five minutes, turn off the light. If there's enough natural light, don't turn the light on at all.
Action:
Switch to energy saving light globes
They may be slightly more expensive to buy, but the advantages far outweigh the initial expense. Energy-saving compact fluorescent light globes (CFLs) can last between 4 and 10 times longer than the average incandescent light bulb and use much less energy to produce the same amount of light.
Replace conventional incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light globes and you'll save up to 2,800 balloons a year.
The Australian Government is gradually phasing out all inefficient light bulbs. Visit the Australian Greenhouse Office website (http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/) for more information.
What else you can do
Pick the right light for the job
Different types of lights are suitable for different rooms and purposes. The cost of your lighting will depend on the type of lighting you select and the length of time you leave your lights on.
Use a timer or sensor
Programmable timers, daylight sensors or movement sensors are energy-saving devices that control outdoor and security lighting so it's only on when it's needed.
Lower the wattage
Use the lowest wattage light you can to provide adequate levels of lighting. The cost of running a light is directly related to the wattage of the globe. The higher the wattage, the higher the running cost.
My Actions
Select an action and see how much green house gas you will save this year.
YOU SAVED:
