Power-Mates now available for hire in Ballina Shire
September 20, 2009
Under a new initiative, Ballina Shire Council is providing business operators and residents the opportunity to save money by monitoring their electricity usage.
Council is providing a cost-saving tool called the Power-Mate to help residents control their electricity bill.
The Power-Mate measures the running cost of an appliance and determines the amount of greenhouse gas emitted when using an appliance or when it’s on standby.
The monitor is connected to an appliance such as a television or fridge, and then plugged into the power point to give a reading of energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and electricity costs.
Ballina Mayor, Councillor Phillip Silver, said the Power-Mate, an Australian invention, is a simple way for people to find out how much energy their household appliances use.
“Greenhouse gases, sustainability and carbon footprint are important factors for all of us to consider and this is a simple way for local people to see exactly how much energy their appliances use,” Cr Silver said.
“Some people may get a surprise at how much energy their appliances use and how much they cost to run.”
Recent studies have shown that the simple act of unplugging a microwave or turning off your LCD television instead of leaving it on standby can save households up to $60 a year in electricity costs.
Turning appliances off at the power point can save households a lot of money each year.
The Power-Mate monitors can now be borrowed from the Alstonville, Lennox Head and Ballina libraries, and it is only necessary to use the monitor for a couple of days to ascertain how much electricity your appliances use.
“I encourage all residents to borrow the Power-Mate – in an effort to save themselves some money but more importantly assist in protecting the environment,” Cr Silver said.
The Power-Mates initiative is part of the Sustainable Urban Business Project which is a partnership of Ballina, Lismore City and Richmond Valley councils.
The Power-Mates are also available from libraries in the Lismore, Goonellabah, Casino and Evans Head.
A demonstration of the Power-Mate will be held at Ballina Shire Council offices 10am Tuesday 22 September. Project co-ordinator Kerri Watts, and Sustainability Officers will also be available for interviews.
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