From the GREEN Anglicans - to help you in the #carbonfastforlent

GREEN Anglicans

Save your cents! ‪#‎carbonfastforlent‬

You are my lamp, o Lord, 
the Lord turns my darkness into light – 2 Sam 22:29

Today have a thorough look at your daily life
Take time today to make a note of each time you use electricity – and how much. 

This could be switching on your kettle for your first cup of coffee, 

turning on lights, computers, TVs, vacuum cleaners, 

to going through the check-out at the supermarket.

Over the course of the day, you will be surprised 

just how much electricity you DO use!
Take a look at your list – 

were there times when your electricity usage was not crucial? 

Will you be able to address electricity wastage going forward?

Make those small changes immediately-
discuss with the family ways to make sure
that lights are turned off, appliances unplugged.
And then consider the easy actions
• change your light bulbs to energy efficient (use LED), 
put a blanket on your geyser (water heater) and install a timer.
• check your geyser: You can actually check how much heat your geyser 
 is losing by simply placing your hand on the geyser. 
If you feel your geyser is warm,
then you know it needs a geyser blanket because it is losing heat.
Insulate your hot water tank, turn it down to 60⁰C (most are set at 70)
and consider investing in the bigger actions

• Solar Water Heater
Having a solar water heater installed can drastically reduce power consumption
at home and save a ton of electricity!
Using a solar water heater can save up to two thirds
of the total water heating cost you build up at home.
If you consider the costs of electricity, a solar water heater
will pay itself off within six years.

• Insulation
Invest in good insulation in your roof,
this will save on heating and you will be more comfortable

• How do you heat?
Look at what you use to heat and cook.
Can you look at changing from electricity to gas which is more efficient?
Can you use a more efficient heating source..lose those blower fans!!!
And watch this video clip to remind yourself
that every time to turn on something you are
adding carbon emissions to the planet..?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcMNZueIyNI

Electricity metering for low income households? No way, VCOSS tells Victorian Govt

Prepayment meters not the answer for Victorians

The Victorian Government should not introduce prepaid electricity metering for low income households as such a scheme would leave people without access to this vital essential service, warns the Victorian Council of Social Service.

“Prepayment meters were banned in Victoria in 2004 for good reason: they significantly increase the risk and incidence of loss of electricity supply and offer no offsetting advantages to energy consumers,” said Emma King, CEO of VCOSS.

“VCOSS objects to a system whereby households are required to pre-pay for energy in order to have it supplied, and in which the energy supply is disconnected when it has not been prepaid for.”

“Prepayment metering is an inappropriate means of addressing the very real hardship situations faced by many Victorians. The mass rollout of prepayment should not be pursued.”

“Proponents of prepayment metering often say that it helps households manage their expenditure, avoid bill shock, and avoid running up debt. However the Victorian Customer Protection Framework offers a range of regulations and support systems to do exactly this. What prepayment doesn’t solve is the problem of households not having a reliable, sufficient supply of energy to meet their needs.”

“Victorian energy retailers have a poor track record when it comes to wrongfully disconnecting people’s energy supplies despite having a legal obligation to ensure people in hardship are not inappropriately cut off.”

“Any moves to prepayment metering would hide the true extent of hardship and remove retailers’ obligation to provide access to what is a life-giving essential service.”

“A new VCOSS report on prepayment metering finds the devices fail on three key measures of accountability and success. The report found prepaid meters:

• do not solve the problem that they purport to solve
• offer nothing to vulnerable consumers that cannot be delivered by other means
• cannot deliver the full complement of elements of the customer protection framework.”

“Prepayment metering will leave people worse off, at increased risk of significant hardship and is an idea that should be rejected by the Victorian Government.”

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Emma King
contact John Kelly – M: 0418 127 153

Follow the conversation at www.twitter.com/vcoss

VCOSS
Level 8, 128 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T: 03 9235 1000 F: 03 9654 5749 W: http://www.vcoss.org.au E: vcoss@vcoss.org.au