EPISODE 26 - Dr Annabelle says, For your health, Get off Gas.
Dr Annabelle
Merri Bek
Dr Annabelle and husband Alex live in a comfy, healthy, climate-friendly home with NO ENERGY BILLS.
Before, they were spending $400 a month on energy in their old, draughty home (and were still cold!)
How did they get to ZERO ENERGY BILLS?
They went energy-efficient, all-electric and got-off-gas.
As a doctor, Annabelle knows the health benefits for you and your family of getting off gas.
(Cooking with gas is estimated to be responsible for up to 12% of childhood asthma in Australia, while kids in homes cooking with gas face similar asthma risk to those living with smokers.)
They got a healthy comfy home with ZERO ENERGY BILLS by:
- Insulating walls, floors and ceilings;
- Plugging all draughts;
- Swapping gas hot water for heat-pump hot water;
- Swapping gas cooktop for induction cook top;
- cutting their gas connection (saving around $250 in annual connection costs)
- Swapping their petrol car for an all-electric vehicle.
They used the savings on their mortgage from a zero-interest green home loan, to pay for their energy efficient upgrades.
Where are you on your journey? Download the TICK OFF TEN, stick it to your fridge and get started:
1. Switch to a green renewable energy company. Is yours green or ‘greenwashing’?
2. Turn aircon to ‘heat’ mode in winter (split system/heat pumps/ reverse cycle air-con is cheapest way to heat + cool).
3. Keep weather out. (Keeping hot air out in summer, cold air out in winter means more money in your pocket).
4. Join My Efficient Electric Home on Facebook. Crowdsource info from others on the efficient-electric-home journey.
5. Insulate floors, walls and ceilings (More insulation means less energy to heat + cool our homes.)
6. Get off gas. Use portable induction cooktop instead of your gas stove. Get ready to retire gas cookers, hot water + cars.
7. Secondary or double glazing. (Keeps heat out in summer. Cold out in winter.)
8. Book an expert home energy assessment + map out your efficient-electric-home blueprint.
9. Done the above? Ready for solar? Research solar rebates + green loans.
10. Forward this to a mate and get them on board.
EPISODES
09:46 mins
Meet Simon Tickner, food, fibre and wind farmer. For 50 years, Simon's farm has thrived under transmission lines.
10:30 mins
Tony Wolfe + Darren McCubbin are two Gippsland locals, amped about the jobs, economic + community benefits offshore wind is bringing to their region.
11:09 mins
Dimity Taylor loves living with her family next to the Wind Farm. She says, the sheep don't mind, the horse doesn't mind, the dog doesn't mind.
09:50 mins
Meet Ed Suttle, an Angus beef cattle farmer. Ed's a driving force behind one of Australia's largest community-owned solar farms.
12:45 mins
Meet coal miner, Darryl + local mum Ali, two Illawarra locals welcoming offshore wind to "The Gong”.
01:35 mins
Watch S4 "Good Neighbours” Trailer. Join Ryan Moloney aka “Toadie” from Neighbours as he goes shotgun, hitting the road to find out “what makes a good neighbour?” From coal miners, to farmers, and community groups meet the regional Australians welcoming wind and solar power to their neighbourhoods.
01:19 mins
Trailer: Meet Simon Tickner, food, fibre and wind farmer. For 50 years, Simon's farm has thrived under transmission lines.
01:23 mins
Trailer for Tony Wolfe + Darren McCubbin are two Gippsland locals, amped about the jobs, economic + community benefits offshore wind is bringing to their region.
01:13 mins
Trailer: Dimity Taylor loves living with her family next to the Wind Farm. She says, the sheep don't mind, the horse doesn't mind, the dog doesn't mind.
01:15 mins
Trailer: Meet Ed Suttle, an Angus beef cattle farmer. Ed's a driving force behind one of Australia's largest community-owned solar farms.
01:20 mins
Trailer: Meet coal miner, Darryl + local mum Ali, two Illawarra locals welcoming offshore wind to "The Gong”.
