Sustainability Resources

Tips for sustainable living at Alkimos Beach
We have put together a few simple tips that will help you to reduce your environmental impact whilst saving you money on your utility bills and allowing you to live more comfortably in your new home.

Reducing your Living Costs

• Switch lights off when you leave the room.
• Take advantage of our beautiful climate by drying your clothes naturally outside.
• Ensure your dishwasher is full for every wash cycle.
• Wash your clothes with cold water to reduce water-heating costs – cold water washing can also extend the life of your clothes.
• Wash your clothes and dishes using the eco-cycle. It’s generally shorter and uses less water.
• Installing an in-home energy display can help you see what impact these behaviours have on your energy consumption.
• Shower to your favourite 4-minute song. Shorter showers save water and energy by reducing water use and water heating demand.
• Take less baths, as they can use a huge volume of water.
• Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth.
• Use the single flush on your toilet.
• Check your taps regularly for leaks.
• Collect unsoapy water from your shower or bath and use it on your garden.
• Cover your pool or spa to reduce evaporation.
• Water your plants in the early morning or the early evening to reduce evaporation.

Keeping Your Home Cool in Summer
Living in Perth, we’re privileged to the beautiful weather. This means in summer, hot winds blowing from the east until lunchtime before being replaced by cooler south-westerly wind in the mid-afternoon. Follow these simple tips to cool your home naturally:

• Open south-facing windows in the afternoon to push out any hot air trapped inside and create air circulation inside your home.
• Keep your blinds closed to keep the sun out and the cool air in.
• Utilise fans rather than air conditioning to save on energy bills.
• Store rugs and mats away in summer so your tiles or polished concrete stay cool.
• If you choose to switch on your air conditioner, keep the thermostat between 24-26°C. For every degree you decrease your thermostat in summer, your bill will increase by up to 10 percent.

Keeping Your Home Warm in Winter
Winter brings a cool change in Perth, and your home design should help keep you nice and snug. Follow these simple tips to warm your home naturally:

• Open up any northerly-facing blinds and curtains to flood your home with warm natural light.
• Lay rugs or mats on tiled or polished concrete floor to improve heat retention.
• Keep some warm blankets on the couch to cover yourself when it’s cold, rather than using heaters.
• Keep the thermostat on your air conditioner between 18-21°C.

Turning your Waste into Resources
Recyclable materials include paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, steel and aluminium containers. Help turn your waste into resources by following these simple tips:

• Split the recyclable waste materials in the kitchen, using a simple system built under a bench.
• Use a separate container for fruit and vegetable scraps that could go into your compost bin or worm farm.
• Designate a spot in your garden for a composting system to absorb your kitchen and vegetable garden waste.
• Designate a spot in your garden for a worm farm. Worms eat any organic material and turn it into liquid fertiliser. Make sure you dilute the fertiliser with water before you put it on your plants.

You can even learn more about sustainable living at Alkimos Beach by:

• Choosing to be part of the Sustainable Living @ Alkimos Beach program, a comprehensive behaviour change program for residents that consists of workshops and an eco-coaching program
• Be part of a community that has not only been recognised as a 6 Star Green Star community but also being WA’s first community awarded with an all six leaves of the Urban Development Institute of Australia's EnviroDevelopment tool.
• Choosing to download our Guide to Smart Living and Guide to Smart Landscaping