ideas for energy reduction

[Irene and David Wallin]

Hi All

I am trying to see if the sustainable building google group still wotks.

I am preparing for the Transition Bellingen stand at the Bellingen Energy Festival.

My subject is energy saving - simple even quirky ways to reduce energy usage and save money.

If you have any links to sites on the internet on this subject, please reply to this email

regards

Davids Wallin

[Gwen Hanna]

Hi David,

If you're interested in learning more about practical options and how
they've worked out, come along to the Dorrigo Green Lifestyle Group
gathering on Monday night (July 9). One of our presenters is talking
about this subject. Please see the web site for more information: www.dorrigogreenlifestyle.org

There are lots of ideas on the 'web' - just search for 'reduce energy
usage'. (I usually restrict it to the .au domain to get suggestions
more suitable for us in Australia.)

Best regards,
Gwen Hanna

Building Wisdom
P.O. Box 618, Dorrigo NSW 2453
Telephone/Facsimile (02) 6657 8251
www.buildingwisdom.com.au

[Martin Macminn]

Hi Dave 

You might find some interesting info on the A.T.A website Renew articals.

Martin 

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From: Irene and David Wallin <tree...@westnet.com.au>
To: bellingen-sustaina...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, 6 July 2012 12:01 PM
Subject: ideas for energy reduction

[Tan Allman]

> -----
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I am a walking encyclopedia and would like to help man the TB stall at
the Energy Fair
I am a qualified ,govt accredited Home Sustainability Assessor.
I would also savor the oportunity to advertise my own business of
property maintenance and floorsanding.
Cheers,
Tan Allman,
ENVIROMIND
0422886807

[Peter Clark]

Hi David 

Here's a link for a chest freezer to fridge conversion.  Haven't done it myself but Peter, our presenter at Green Lifestyle last night said it works brilliantly.   

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2009/08/convert-a-chest-freezer-into-a-super-efficient-refrigerator/

Hope that's useful.

Regards 

Peter Clark

[Irene and David Wallin]

Hi Peter

Thanks for the information - I think I will compile a list of links and hold them on on one of our blogs so people can go to one online source for information.   - there is also an article in the recent Renew magazine that I can show people who may be interested in the idea.

regards

David Wallin

[Leif Nielsen Lemke]

Only feel the electric jug with the amount of water needed. Leif

----- Original Message -----
From: "Irene and David Wallin" <tree...@westnet.com.au>
To: <bellingen-sustaina...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2012 12:01 PM
Subject: ideas for energy reduction

Davids Wallin=

[Vicki Parkes]

I like it...very good, vicki

[Irene and David Wallin]

HI Leif

Thanks for the email.

Measuring water for the kettle is on my list.

Back in 2009, I measured the electricity usage of the kettle and found we could reduce usage from 1.4kwh per day to 0.7 kwh per day by measuring the amount of water put in the kettle.

regards

David Wallin

[Gull]

1.Do you have measuring jug or a mug next to the kettle and fill it from that?

[Irene and David Wallin]

Hi Gull

Thanks Gull

Using the wood stove to preheat water for the kettle will be attached to my list of suggestions.

My interest in the value of small behavoural steps on climate change was reinforced by an article written by Hugh Mackay in 2010

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/rudds-mistake-on-ets-was-not-challenging-our-behaviour-20100506-ugpv.html 

"One explanation can be found in the link that must be forged between attitudes and behaviour, if attitudes are to have any meaning at all. In the case of climate change, that link has not been forged. Attitudes that are not tied to behaviour are notoriously hollow, easy to change, and likely to evaporate unless strongly and persistently reinforced.

If we're not doing something about an attitude we profess to hold, then what we say about it might be mildly interesting as a debating point over a quiet drink, but it carries no freight."

It was further strengthened by an academic paper from the Free University of Bellingen discussion on "In Transition - Australian attitudes to climate change" at the Lodge cafe in March 2012

"Small behaviours are important not only for the direct environmental impact they have, but because they often lead to more and more pro-environmental behaviours over time."

http://freeuniversityofbellingen.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/in-transition-australian-attitudes-to.html

There probably is some medical term for this Gull - obsessive behaviour?

Behavioural change and energy saving is the theme of the Transition Bellingen stand at the Energy Festival this Saturday.

Back to the subject.

I  put a pot of water on the wood stove this morning for our next hot drink. Also I simmered my porridge on the stove and it worked, saving the use of the electric hob on our gas stove - bring the porridge to the boil on the gas and do the rest of the cooking on the wood stove.

Thanks again Gull - another behavioural change.

I have also experimented with using a wood burning camping stove (pyrolysis gas). Properly organised, it can bring two cups of water to the boil in about the same time as an electric kettle. Then you can refill the pot with a litre of water and uses the residual heat to boil that, store it in a thermos flask for later use. However the experiment only lasted for a week - getting the right fuel organised is the problem - wood pellets may be the answer 

There will be one of these stoves on our stand at the Energy festival, but go to see Wadzy Wadsworth's bamboo yurt and he will be using one there (probably with wood pellets).

My apologies to the members of this group forum if this is making you reach for the delete button, but blame Leif - he started it.

regards

David Wallin

 

On 23Jul2012, at 8:13 PM, Gull wrote:

1.Do you have measuring jug or a mug next to the kettle and fill it from that?

2. Wood burning stove with kettle on it. Hot water all day and night, no extra energy used.
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[nakia lamir]

Hi all

RE heating the kettle,  when we first heat the kettle in the morning or whenever  - we put the remaining water in a thermos that sits near the stove. Need another drink ? Presto!  instant hot water and energy saving too.

Nakia

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Subject: Re: ideas for energy reduction. Kettle.
From: tree...@westnet.com.au
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2012 08:02:55 +1000
CC: josep...@hotmail.com; wadz...@gmail.com
To: bellingen-sustaina...@googlegroups.com