UN lists important household power consumption savings tips

Canberra, June 5 : A United Nations (UN) report on World Environment Day has listed household power consumption savings tips for people all around the world to help cutting down greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the report, better insulation at home, less use of the car and even giving up an electric toothbrush can help people in rich nations halve emissions of greenhouse gases.

“Adopting a climate-friendly lifestyle needn’t require drastic changes or major sacrifices,”' according to the 202-page UN Environment Program (UNEP) book entitled Kick the CO2 Habit: The UN Guide to Climate Neutrality.

It outlines ways for people to combat global warming with measures such as packing lighter suitcases when flying or going jogging in a park rather than on an electric treadmill.

Some of the tips mentioned in the UN report include:

By using a wind-up alarm clock rather than an electric one, 48 grams of CO2 (Carbon dioxide) can be saved a day.

Drying clothes on a washing line rather than in a tumble dryer can save about 2.3 kg CO2 each load.

CO2 world savings would be two million tonnes a year if every airline passenger cut the weight of baggage to below 20 kg and bought duty-free goods on arrival.

By using a non-electric toothbrush will help to save 48 grams of CO2 a day.

Heating bread rolls in a toaster rather than in the oven for 15 minutes will result in total CO2 savings of 170 grams each time.

By taking a train rather than a car for a daily commute of 8km will save 1.7kg CO2 a day.

Also, the average household could cut two tonnes of CO2 annually with more efficient insulation, heating and lighting.

Reducing winter heating by cutting the temperature by a couple of degrees saves six per cent in energy bills.

According to Achim Steiner, head of UNEP, “Multiplied across the world and acted upon by 6.7 billion people, the public have the power to change the future, have the power to personally and collectively influence economies to ‘Kick the CO2 Habit’.” (ANI)