CHRISTMAS has come early for Tweed Heads couple Robert and Julie, who have won first prize in the Tweed Council’s Rates Incentive Scheme.
And the $2500 prize couldn’t have come at a better time for the pair, who had just been through a minor disaster when their dishwasher flooded their house two weeks ago.
Ratepayers who paid their full annual rates during the first instalment period went into the draw to win one of three sustainable homes packages.
Not only did Robert and Julie buy a new, water-efficient dishwasher with the prize-money, they also used the funds to replace a power-hungry fridge, after being advised by family and friends that it was a big power user.
Their new water and energy-efficient dishwasher will use approximately 30 per cent less water and 50 per cent less energy than the old model, while replacing their 10-year-old fridge with an energy efficient model could cut their fridge power usage in half.
Second-prize winners Peter and Dina, of Chillingham, are in the middle of renovations.
“We were both delighted and somewhat shocked that we had won $1500 in the rates incentive scheme,” Dina said.
“Originally we thought about purchasing energy-efficient electrical appliances such as a dishwasher. The council’s sustainability program leader Debbie Firestone provided some information and we realised the new ‘block out’ curtains we planned to purchase in the near future as part of our current home renovations would be a smart choice.
“Dealing with heating loss and heat gain through windows can apparently account for up to 35 per cent of average household energy use through heating and cooling.”
Ray and Jennifer of Tweed Heads West won third prize and have done a lot over the past few years to make their home more comfortable, cost-effective to run and to reduce their environmental impact.
“We’ve put insulation in the ceiling, installed solar hot water and solar panels in 2010, put blinds on the windows and fans in the bedrooms,” Ray said.
“We’ve been putting in LED lights incrementally. Now our focus is on the garden and a food self-sufficiency plan.”
With a rainwater tank, small vegetable garden and worm farm already in place, Ray is keen to use the $1000 prize-money to get a greenhouse established to boost his vegie growing potential.
He’s investigating a wicking or self-watering garden bed design and will also use the prize to buy a mulcher to re-use woody waste material as mulch to reduce water use throughout the garden.
