Charity begins at home. Is your care for the planet's well-being translated into action at your home base? Here is a checklist to monitor one's carbon footprint at home.

Living room

The energy used by the appliances in your lounge room can generate large amounts of greenhouse gas each year. To cut down carbon emission:

* Turn off TVs, DVD players, stereos, computer game systems and other appliances at the wall rather than leaving them in standby mode. If you are recharging, unplug the devices as soon as they are fully charged.

* Use plug-in timers and time switches on your appliances, allowing you to automatically turn on and off heaters, fans and lights.

* Purchase energy-efficient electronic equipment.

Bathroom

By making some easy choices in the bathroom we can cut greenhouse gas emissions:

* Use a shower instead of bathing. Shower in four minutes or under.

* Switch on your bathroom heater only when you really need it.

* Fix any dripping taps.

* Install and use the half-flush option on the toilet.

* Use toilet paper made from recycled paper.

* Clean your bathroom with natural products rather than harsh chemicals.

Kitchen

This important place accounts for almost one third of the energy used in your home. A bit of thought on how you use your appliances in the kitchen will have a massive impact. You will slash your electricity bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions:

* Make sure your fridge is placed in a cool spot with ventilation and air flow all around it.

* If your fridge is getting old, purchase a new energy-efficient one.

* Decide what you want before opening the fridge door.

* Check your fridge temperature - it will work most efficiently at 4 degrees Celsius.

* Keep your fridge 3/4 full.

* Ensure door seals are clean and the door closes properly.

* Recycle everything you can. Compost your kitchen waste if you have a garden.

Laundry

By thinking ahead and being mindful of the environment when you wash, you could save yourself money, energy and water with some simple low carbon actions:

* Wash and dry full loads only.

* Wear clothes until they are actually dirty.

* Use the most eco-friendly washing powder you can find.

* Use solar power to dry your clothes as much as possible.

Lighting

Energy-efficient lighting will help you save on your power bill and help our environment:

* Do not over-illuminate.

* Use as much natural light as possible.

* Switch off the lights in rooms not in use.

* Use compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in a protective plastic bulb casing to limit UV radiation and install fluorescent tubes whenever possible. CFLs use only 20 percent of the electricity to produce the same amount of light and are an easy, cleaner alternative to the traditional incandescent globes.

Cooling

As air-conditioning makes up a sizable part of your electricity bill, it is too important to be neglected:

* A clogged air-conditioning filter can use 5 percent more energy than a clean one. Make sure you inspect the filter on your air conditioner and clean and replace as needed.

* Buy energy efficient aircon machines.

* Turn on fans while using an air conditioner.

* The most effective way of keeping your house cool is to stop as much heat as possible from getting in. Steps you can take to achieve this include:

* Always make sure that windows and doors are shut when the aircon is on.

* Close your windows and curtains in the morning to keep cool air in and stop hot air from entering.

* Open your windows in the evening to let cooler air in.

* Choose light colored curtains and blinds as they reflect heat.

* Choose light colored interior paints and roof colors.

Waste and recycling

It's easy to reduce your household waste with some planning.

* Know what can be recycled and composted, and how to separate garbage items for this purpose. Make it convenient for everyone to dispose of them properly.

* Minimum use of throwaway utensils, such as plastic cups and bags.

* Buy things with minimum packaging.

Renovation

Although many of us do not have much say in what our building is made of, we do have a choice when we renovate a place:

* Select sustainable construction materials and products by evaluating characteristics such as reused and recycled content, zero or low off-gassing of harmful air emissions, zero or low toxicity, sustainable harvested materials, high recyclability, durability, longevity, and local production. Such products promote resource conservation and efficiency.

* Plan to use the least amount of materials to do the job, and to use materials that reduce energy costs both during construction and in service.

* Reuse and recycle construction and demolition materials.

The author chairs LifeFlow and Produce Green Foundation. Email him at Simon@simonchau.hk.

(HK Edition 07/03/2010 page4)