In our household we have put into place the minimum use of energy and at the same time maximising the benefits of energy with minimum or no wastage. We have instantaneous hot water heated by gas. No more storing hot water, so gas is only used when turning the tap on. The temperature of the hot water is set at a comfortable 46c. We cook by gas and only heat water by gas. No electric kettles, no terrible wastage of energy by electric cooking and boiling water. All our 50 watt down-lights with 10 watt transformers are being replaced by either LED or 9 watt fluorescent lights. We were horrified that our town house had those very dangerous down-lights. They can produce 320C heat and are a fire hazard anyway. Not long ago our houses had one light per room and a couple of power points. Now houses are bristling with dozens of lights and all sorts of CO2 producing gadgetry. Our modestly sized town-house had 33 of those high energy burning down-lights. One bathroom had 3. Why? At the more advanced age that most of us are creeping into, even half a light would suffice. Burning just a candle would be even better, if not more romantic as well.
Of course, TV size is the next one to economize on. What about the 82 cm model to the max? Those giant screens are so ugly and dominating, who wants to see our politicians and their egos blown up even bigger? Why would you want to look at most of the TV programs anyway?
 For our kids, definitely no extra TV’s in bedrooms. Most experts reckon that we ought to get tough and ban kids from anything with buttons and remotes. Dr Spock had it all wrong and whole generations of scowling and nervous kids have been spawned by letting them set the agenda instead of parents and teachers. If they protest, let them take out the garbage or take the dog for a walk.
As for wasting water with those obsessive twice daily showering, stop it in the bud. Don’t even shower daily. It’s not the bunch of flowers that regulates this game of love; it’s our smell and pheromones that drive the opposite (or same) sex into frenzy. No wonder there are so many lonely but well scrubbed people about.
We complain about the rising cost of electricity, and no doubt, they will triple in the next ten years. The obvious answer is to reduce the power consumption equally. It can be done. Our last gas bill was $94. -. This was over a period of three months and included a $42. ‘-availability’ charge. Total usage for hot water, cooking and heating was $52.-, and to paraphrase a popular slogan ‘the lower costs are just the beginning’.
The lowering of energy consumption should be joined together with lowering consumption of all superfluous items as well, especially when those items are phrased in the most terrible two words ever to appear in a western consumer driven society, “LIFE STYLE”. Simply never buy anything associated with those words, if you have; repent and chuck them out or never plug them in. Do you really need an electric knife or lettuce spinner?
 Life style is simply not something you can buy.
Naturally, using conventional electricity to keep out solar energy to cool or heat our houses is pure tautology as well as total earth vandalism. Chuck the air-conditioner on the foot path or install solar.
Perhaps the idea of a total ban on consuming anything should follow Earth Hour? Don’t keep a date with the Earth Extinction, consume less.

http://www.earthhour.org/