Small change for change

What are the two things that rule the western world? Money and power. What are the two things that most of us let slip through our power sockets every month? You guessed it! Your money's not going down the toilet, it's leaking from your electricity outlets, one appliance at a time!

With energy costs in Queensland anticipated to spike by as much as $200 a year, it's time to look at what solutions are out there to save your hip pocket and the environment.

Aside from switching everything off and living in the dark there are a few simple options available to the average Australian home owner.

As we know, Brisbane City Council already offer great rebates for solar hot water and rainwater tanks for some time. Now you can also take advantage of their Climate-smart Home Service to save more energy in your home and really do your bit for a clean, green city by 2026.

The in-home energy monitor makes it easy to keep track of and reduce your home's electricity usage by working out your energy usage, costs and your greenhouse gas emissions. Canadians are using devices like this and seeing a decrease in their electricity bills by as much as 20%.

Parents can use this device to educate their children on how much it costs for them to watch a DVD - or how much money is wasted when you leave your appliances on stand-by instead of turning them off at the wall. You could even charge them for it out of their pocket money. Now that would really give them a jolt!

Make a little climate change around your home - from a money-wasting one to a money-saving one!