Sustainable living means different things to different people. It might mean using energy-efficient light globes or reducing your plastic waste – or both.
The Valeri family has made it their mission to be sustainable and conserve as much energy as possible in their home.
Former Socceroos player and Melbourne Victory captain Carl Valeri and his wife Whitney recently renovated their home, situated on 10 acres in the picturesque Macedon Ranges.
During the renovation process, the couple went to great lengths to create a home environment that helps their family save energy. They take pride in teaching the kids about their impact and how they can also contribute to the household’s energy efficiency.
Carl and Whitney believe that when it comes to saving energy with a family, the little things count. These small changes can lead to significant benefits in the long run.
Although they have installed energy-efficient LED lights throughout the home, Carl and Whitney consciously remind their kids to switch lights off when not in use. This goes for the TV and other appliances, too.
Reinforcing these habits ensures their energy consumption remains low. For instance, Carl says:
“Our daughter Isabel is just amazing; she will turn off the water in the shower to save any energy possible when she’s washing her hair.”
Double-glazed windows throughout their house are a big energy saver for the Valeri family. The double glazing limits the need to turn the spilt system on – a notorious household energy drainer – because the house stays cool during summer and warm during winter.
“The addition of the block-out blinds really help. You can notice the difference in summer when those blinds are down,” he adds.
Carl and Whitney zone their heating and cooling and only have it on in the room they are using, which also plays an important role in reducing their energy usage.
“We added extra doors to block some of the heating in the main areas, which is a big energy saver for us.”
The family’s energy-saving efforts aren’t restricted to inside the house. Carl and Whitney have also considered what they can do outdoors to save energy and live sustainably.
The property has a dam next to the house, which collects the road water runoffs during high periods of rainfall. Rather than using water from their rainwater tank – which supplies water to the house – Carl connected an irrigation system from the dam that waters the family’s backyard and vegetable patch.
This system is a fantastic water-saving technique and helps the family keep their costs low while still meeting the demands of their large property.
Plans are already underway to move their current vegetable patch to a larger, fenced area on the property to grow even more produce for the family.
“We have our newly fenced vegetable patch that we’re looking forward to creating together,” says Whitney.
“It will be nice to have the kids eat [food] from here – I just feel healthy talking about it,” Carl adds.
Carl and Whitney believe it’s important to include the kids in their conversations about energy and sustainability. These open and honest family conversations help them better understand our planet’s precious resources and their environmental impact.
“I believe that it is our responsibility to educate oursleves and our children about the environment and sustainability,” says Whitney.
Having these conversations about why it’s important to switch lights and appliances off at the plug, recycle or use less water, helps to shape a positive, lifelong relationship with energy consumption.
Outside of making sustainable choices, here are few other ways you can make a big difference to your household’s contribution by creating an environmentally conscious household.
