Cleaner Planet Plan

Energy Efficiency Blitz

admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 07:00:58 +0000

I’m trying to teach them the concept of energy efficiency, but results have been minimal so far. My quest to save energy has however unearthed some useful tips that you can implement at home.

Energy saving tips:

Turn off your computer at night instead of leaving it in sleep-mode – this gives it a chance to re-boot and you’ll be saving energy
Unless you’re baking, don’t pre-heat the oven, just turn it on when you put your meal in
If you have a heat pump raise the temperature setting two degrees higher in summer and lower it two degrees in winter – this will save about 20% of the energy usage!*
If it’s absolutely necessary to use a heated towel rail install a timer and set it for two hours activity a day – you could save $100 per towel rail every year!**
Place heaters away from windows so they heat rooms more effectively
Put an extra blanket on the bed instead of using an electric blanket in winter
When cooking place small pots on small elements, large pots on large elements and make sure all lids fit well

How do you achieve energy efficiency? Let us know by commenting below.

* http://www.50waystohelp.com/
** https://www.genesisenergy.co.nz/genesis/energy-efficiency/at-home/at-home.cfm?gclid=CLeUjt-GvKkCFZIDHAod6mBvfA#Savings at no cost

Fun with Recycling

admin — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 07:00:36 +0000

They were really proud of their handiwork once the cards were finished, it kept them busy for the better part of a day, and now I have a collection of cards ready for family celebrations.

Despite how much fun that recycling activity was, it would be even better if we could reduce our need for recycling in the first place.

Some ways to do this are to:

Wash laundry using Persil Small & Mighty detergent – its concentrated formula means 40% less packaging!
Stop paper bank statements and pay bills online – you’ll save on postage and trees!
Invest in rechargeable batteries – batteries contain hazardous chemicals that are harmful to the environment and many of us don’t dispose of them properly. The best solution is to invest in batteries you don’t need to replace
Make a habit of taking your own re-useable shopping bags to the supermarket and say no to the plastic bags
Place a sign on your letter box requesting that no junk mail be delivered
Invest in a re-useable coffee cup for your morning caffeine fix at the local café
Use linen napkins instead of paper serviettes

What are you doing at home to eliminate waste?

The Greenhouse Gas Effect

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 07:00:19 +0000

Backyard tips:

Plant a veggie garden and enjoy fresh produce without the food miles!
Plant a tree for each of your children – they’ll love watching it grow as they do and having their own special place in the garden
Create a compost heap and eliminate the need for commercially produced fertilizers on your property
Use hand tools instead of power equipment – you’ll reduce your fuel consumption and noise pollution too!

You can combat greenhouse gas effects outside of the backyard too:

Use new Persil Small & Mighty in the laundry – the recent removal of phosphates has achieved a 32% reduction in the greenhouse gas footprint of Persil Small & Mighty, which is equivalent to taking more than 5,500 cars off the road every year!
Organise a working bee to plant trees at your child’s school
Form a car pool with work colleagues to reduce the number of cars on the road
Volunteer a couple of days a year to plant trees for a charity such as Trees for Survival
Check your car’s tire pressure regularly and clean out the boot – your car will run more efficiently, saving you money on fuel and reducing carbon emissions!

Persil Small & Mighty’s compact and concentrated formulas also help to reduce packaging by 40%, which means less truck deliveries to get the product to store. In fact, in its first year Persil Small & Mighty removed 130 truck deliveries from the road.

Now you know what Persil is doing to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, why not share what you are doing to combat climate change by posting your top tips below!

How to Save Water at Home

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 07:00:45 +0000

But we only have to look to our neighbours in Australia to see how drought can affect everyday activities such as washing the car or watering the lawn.

This is why I think we should all be taking steps now to conserve water wherever possible. It is our most precious resource and we need to give it the respect it deserves! Almost 71% of the earth’s surface is water*, but less then 1% of this is fresh water ready for drinking!**

Below are some tips on how to save water that I’ve been doing at home – try them in your house and together we can all take a big step in the right direction.

How to save water at home:

Fix dripping taps – a dripping tap could waste up to 200 litres of water a day!***
Skip rinsing your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher and only run when fully loaded
Have a shower instead of a bath – they typically use half as much water #
Get your kids to turn off the tap while they brush their teeth – leaving it running for two minutes will waste 28 litres of water!## And, make sure dad turns off the tap when he’s shaving as well.
Give yourself a break and take your car to get washed at the service station – a commercial wash only uses roughly 60% of the water required to wash you car in the driveway at home!###
Place an old brick or weighted plastic bottle in your toilet cistern – it will use less litres per flush

What are you tops tips for saving water ? Share them below.

*Pidwirny, Michael (2006). “Fundamentals of Physical Geography (2nd Edition)”
** Shiklomanov, Igor A.; et al. (1999). “World Water Resources and their use Beginning of the 21st century Prepared in the Framework of IHP UNESCO”. State Hydrological Institute, St. Petersburg.
*** http://www.energywise.govt.nz/how-to-be-energy-efficient/your-house/hot-water/simple-ways-to-save-on-hot-water
# http://www.energywise.govt.nz/node/9354
## http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/cnlser/wtr/wtrsavetips.asp
### http://www.platinumcarwashandoil.com/2009/10/go-green/

Energy Saving Tips

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 07:00:17 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S7d6DGjBUI

Washing laundry in winter is one of my biggest energy challenges – the constant threat of rain and icy cold days often means that I have to resort to using my energy-draining dryer.

Luckily there are some energy saving tips for the laundry:

Use Persil Small & Mighty – it delivers brilliant results even in cold water!
Wash full loads in cold water – heating water for washing is one of the most energy-sapping activity in the laundry
Hang washing on the line when possible. If you still want the softness from using a dryer, simply fluff towels and linens for only 5 minutes in the dryer after line-drying
When you do use your dryer, clean out the lint filter after every load – it will run more efficiently

It’s essential to keep a warm and healthy home for your kids during winter and proper insulation can be a part of this. An adequately insulated house also helps save energy by retaining any heat generated inside your home. If you don’t already have insulation in your home you may be eligible for a government subsidy. Go to www.energywise.govt.nz

Around the house you can also:

Draw your curtains before sunset to keep warmth in the house
Switch to energy efficient light bulbs – they use 80% less power than standard bulbs*
Use draft stoppers to keep the heat in a roomquickly
Rinse dishes in cold water to avoid the costs associated with heating itli>

What are your energy saving tips for home? Let us know on facebook.com/persilnz

* http://www.energywise.govt.nz/how-to-be-energy-efficient/your-house/lighting/choosing-efficient-lightbulbs

How to Recycle

admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:00:25 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xjp-DeZrz0

At such an impressionable young age, I’m pleased that teachers are investing the time in educating our kids on how to recycle. The earlier they get into the habit of doing the right things the easier it is!

For some of us older hands, here are some tips how to start recycling at home:

Re-use the old scoops, in Persil Small & Mighty powder boxes, after washing them – they make great shovels for the sandpit!
Recycle your clothes – donate to charity instead of throwing old garments out
Make sure you recycle household appliances you no longer use – Fisher & Paykel have a fantastic plant where they recycle any brand of old washing machine
Recycle old metal coat hangers by gifting them to charity stores

Do you have any little members of the recycling police force at home? What are their top tips on how to go green?

Climate Change: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

admin — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 07:00:52 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJXJc3L_s_8

There are lots of different studies about climate change out there and it’s hard to know what to believe, but research shows that the rate of human carbon output is increasing by 2ppm (parts per million) a year** despite efforts to cap emissions at 1990 levels by the 191 countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol against climate change, including New Zealand.#

Persil is helping to lower carbon emissions by removing phosphates from their laundry detergents, which has reduced the greenhouse gas emissions of their products by 32%!

Lately I’ve been trying to reduce the carbon footprint of my household and be kinder to the planet also.

You can do the same by:

Washing with Persil Small & Mighty – its compacted formula means less packaging and fewer truck deliveries. In fact Persil Small & Mighty has removed 130 truck journeys from the road a year!
Buying local, in-season produce that doesn’t have a large number of food miles attached to it – it’s much fresher and tastier as well!
Taking time to group errands and incorporate them into one car trip instead of lots of little trips, which use more fuel
Creating a walking school bus with other mums in your area, which will get kids out of cars and enjoying some exercise on the way to and from school
Taking your children out for a carbon free activity such as a family bike ride in the weekends

What are you doing at home to reduce your household greenhouse gas emissions?

* New Zealand Herald, 10 June 2011
**Otago Daily Times, 10 June 2011
# “Kyoto Protocol: Status of Ratification” (PDF).United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 14-01-2009

Promoting Water Efficiency

admin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:58:47 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqO9MWf_Jf4

Persil are aiming to halve water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and packaging waste across the entire lifecycle of all their products by 2020, which got me thinking that maybe we could all join Persil in their commitment to reducing the environmental impact of doing laundry by taking some little steps at home.

New Zealanders do around 390 million loads of laundry every year – that’s 390 million opportunities to take small steps at home that can make a big difference.

In today’s blog I’m exploring all the little things we can all do to improve water efficiency at home, starting in the laundry.

Washing our clothes is a routine part of life and we probably don’t think about the impact it has on our environment, but the good news is that we really can make a big difference by making some small changes.

Saving water in the laundry:

Wash full loads whenever possible
Use short or eco cycles – they typically save 50% of the water used in regular washes*
Use Persil Small & Mighty detergents – their concentrated formulas use less water
If you have a grey water system, collect Persil rinse water and water the garden with it

There are plenty of things you can to do to improve water efficiency in the garden as well:

Group plants that need a similar amount of water together – this will avoid over-watering
Mulch around your plants – 70% of water evaporates from soil but mulch will help retain the water**
Avoid the heat of the day and water plants in the early morning or evening – the moisture won’t evaporate as quickly

*Fisher & Paykel call centre
** http://www.nrc.govt.nz/Environment/Water/Take-action/Saving-water/