How Can You Optimize Your Water and Energy Use?

Household energy consumption (electricity, gas, water) accounts for approximately 30% of a French person's polluting emissions, and in the face of the climate emergency, you need to change your lifestyle habits and optimize your energy use to reduce your environmental impact and your electricity and/or water bill!

How can you optimize your home's energy use?

What services should you request from ERDF (currently Enedis)?

ERDF (now Enedis) is the main electricity distribution network operator in France and, as such, is responsible for certain tasks that differ from those of electricity suppliers:

Supplying households with electricity
Grid connection work
Activating and deactivating meters
Changing meter power capacity
Emergency service calls

You need to understand the different responsibilities of electricity suppliers and the network operator so you know who to contact when a problem arises and can shorten the response time.

Which electricity supplier should you choose to reduce your energy use?

You need to choose an electricity supplier and an energy plan suited to your needs and usage patterns to save money and optimize your energy use. You should consider several factors when choosing the best electricity supplier.

The price per kWh and the subscription fee
The variety of plans available
Customer service responsiveness: availability, dispute handling, etc.

You can find a list of the different suppliers operating in France here.

What daily habits can help you reduce your energy use?

Would you like to save money to lower your electricity bill and reduce your environmental impact? You can adopt a few simple daily habits to reduce your energy use.

Always turn off the lights and avoid using too many ambient lights
Unplug electrical appliances you are not using and/or opt for a power strip with a switch that cuts standby power: you can reduce your electricity bill by 11%
Install equipment that uses less energy and costs less to run: energy-efficient and/or LED bulbs, a thermostat, LCD televisions, a laptop, etc.
Use the right temperature settings for your household appliances (0 to 5 °C for the refrigerator and -18°C for the freezer) and your home: lowering the temperature by 1°C saves 7% on your energy bill

How can you optimize your home's water use?

How can you calculate your “water footprint” to help manage your consumption?

What is a water footprint? It is an indicator (like a carbon footprint) used to calculate your water consumption: the result represents the volume of water needed to produce the food and industrial products you consume, provide services, and meet your household water needs. A water footprint is used to measure the water consumption of a country and/or an individual.

Today, there is a government website where you can calculate your water footprint. You need to answer a calculator's questions to estimate your water consumption:

Your overall food consumption during the week: meat, vegetables, fruit, grains, etc.
Your household water consumption: number and length of showers, brushing your teeth and washing your hands, number of laundry loads and/or dishwasher cycles, etc.
The amount of your annual income you spend

Your overall result will be calculated in m³ and can help you analyze your water consumption and optimize your everyday water use.

What daily habits can help you reduce your water use?

Would you like to save money to lower your water bill and reduce your “water footprint” to protect the environment? You can adopt a few simple daily habits to reduce your water use.

Always repair leaks: a “dripping” leak uses 4 liters per hour, which equals 35m³ per year, and a leaking toilet flush wastes 25 liters per year, or 220m³ per year
Take short showers and turn off the water while you lather up: short showers use 20 liters of water, compared with 60 liters if you leave the water running while you lather up. By comparison, a bath requires between 150 and 200 liters
Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth and/or wash your hands to save up to 10,000 liters of wasted water
Use two basins (one for washing and one for rinsing) if you wash dishes by hand to avoid using 40 liters when washing under running water, compared with just 12 liters with two basins.
Only run your dishwasher and/or washing machine with a full load: you can use the “half-load” option if the machine is not completely full and/or the “eco” option for a more environmentally responsible wash
Reuse rainwater to water your garden and water it only when truly necessary: you can save 15 to 20 liters per m²
Use a bucket and a sponge to wash your car to save up to 180 liters of water
Install a dual-flush toilet: 3 liters (light use) per flush and a maximum of 6 liters, compared with a minimum of 9 liters for a conventional tank

You can now reduce your water and energy use more easily to lower your bills and reduce your environmental impact. In the face of the global climate emergency, you need to try to optimize and improve your energy spending.