Change can be difficult and it can be daunting to start. How can we really know if something is really going to help us? What if we don’t notice the benefit or if those claimed benefits are exaggerated by some over-enthusiastic sales team? In those cases we might need a real example backed up by real measurements.
For me it was, in a sense, a light bulb moment. The first change I did was to put low energy light bulbs in every light fitting (this was before they were being given away for free). It was significant because to do that I needed to become comfortable with spending money upfront before I could notice any savings. And once the benefit of one small change was evident then it became a little easier to make the next change.
I’ve documented the changes and what they mean in terms of energy use, carbon dioxide emissions and fuel bills here. Yes they are for a single example in the UK so they might not reflect what is possible for other people. Each case is different depending on the age of the property and how much energy you use in your daily lives for heating, hot water, cooking, driving and so on. It is, however, an example of what can be done by us now.
Living Laudato Si' 