Switched on Living
Research shows that up to 75% of the electricity, water and other resources used by homes is wasted due to inefficiency caused by lack of information and awareness. The SEREG believes most people are interested in switching on to savings. In the first half of 2005, SEREG offered residents across the region the chance to be involved in a series of workshops to learn how.
What happened at the workshops?
Participants were recruited from each Council / Shire and attended 4 one-hour workshops, held once a month, at a local centre on a weekday evening. Participants each received a special Switched on Living workbook.
At each meeting the Regional Greenhouse Coordinator helped the group work through a different section of the workbook, mindful to provide the opportunity for discussion and sharing of useful ideas. Participants were also encouraged to record information on the savings they were achieving during the 4-month programme.
Workshop Schedule
The series of 4-workshops focused on the following topics:
- Switched on Transport
- Switched on Water Heating, Refrigeration and Laundry
- Switched on Home Heating and Cooling, Lighting, Cooking, and Appliances
- Switched on Waste, Gardening, Building and Buying
Participation Incentives
Upon completion of each workshop, participants received a free switch your thinking! participation incentive in the form of an energy/resource saving gift, appropriate to the subject covered, such as compact fluorescent light globes (CFLs), a AAA showerhead, a tyre pressure gauge, a worm farm, a shower timer, energy-smart thermometer, and other sustainable living items that could help them save up to $650 per year in energy costs, and reduce their household's greenhouse gas emissions by up to 4.5 tonnes.Results
In total 134 residents from 118 households across the region participated in the project which was run from February - June 2005.Evaluation of the project indicated that 100% of participants learnt something new from the Switched on Living workshop series, and 92% of participants had changed their energy use behaviour as a result of acquiring this new knowledge.
100% of participants implemented one or more of the energy / resource saving incentive gifts distributed through the programme, and 92% had noticed a decrease in their electricity and gas bills.
The Switched on Living project will reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions by 1,252 T -eCO2 over the next 5-years (250.5 T -e CO2 p.a.), whilst helping individual households save up to $466 p.a. on their energy, water and transport related bills.
This project was proudly supported by program sponsors Cool or Cosy, Solahart, Water Corporation and the Sustainable Energy Development Office.
