Win twice with smaller bills

Byron Shire Council is offering residents a way to win $500 just by using energy in a more sustainable way.

Council has commenced its ‘Beat Your Power Bills’ competition to help community members reduce their energy consumption.

Byron Shire’s sustainability officer, Graeme Williams, said the competition would support local residents in meeting cost-of-living concerns in positive and practical way.

‘The cost of power isn’t going down, but here are many small and inexpensive changes that can be made to save money. Sign up to this competition and see how much power you can save by making small changes around the home,’ he said.

The competition is open to both homeowners and renters. Entrants will receive monthly newsletters full of energy-saving advice, workshop opportunities and prize draws, such as energy-saving lights and farmers’ market vouchers.

The two households that reduce their energy consumption the most by December 2012 will win $500, while the first 50 entrants will also receive free energy-saving prize packs worth $40.

The average electricity usage for Byron Shire residents is 7 to 10 kilowatt hours per person, per day. In an average NSW home, hot water uses the most energy (31 per cent), followed by refrigeration (13.7 per cent). Byron Shire residents can borrow the ‘Power Mate Lite’ from the Mullumbimby library to measure their energy usage at home.

Council’s ‘Beat Your Power Bills’ competition started on 1 July and will run until 30 December 2012.

To enter the competition, simply go to the Beat Your Bills page on Council’s website, or call 02 6626 7305 to receive an entry form. Entry forms need to be submitted to Council.

The competition is jointly sponsored by two local renewable-power companies, Nickel Energy and Juno Energy.