Electricity retailer and upstream player Origin has taken to the popular confectionery Fantales in response to a Galaxy poll finding that while almost half of all Australians seek more information on energy, almost all of them are turning to Google to do so.
"Hundred-page reports, broad ranging websites, colourful bill messages and inserts and beautifully filmed television commercials are not working,” Origin executive general manager Phil Craig said.
“There is plenty of debate about energy but the industry has not kept up with how people consume information.
“As a consequence, while our job is to keep the lights on, when it comes to information we've left our customers somewhat in the dark.”
With the traditional media simply not working, Origin has turned to Fantales, the chocolate-covered caramel famous for having movie trivia on its wrapper, in order to sell a series of 25 “energy stories”
Origin is hoping Fantales will help start a “broader conversation” about energy and where it comes from.
"Distributing Origin Energy Tales is just a first step in our quest to engage the community and help everyone understand more about the energy we consume," Craig said.
“It is a fun way to start – light-hearted and accessible – and literally puts industry information into people's hands.
"We hope this is the start of a conversation and a more open exploration of energy's importance, role and responsibility in supporting human development and growth."
However, you won’t be able to pop down to the shops and pick up a bag.
Instead, Origin will be handing them out over the next three days across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Adelaide in high traffic locations and selected cafes.
Aussies remain eco-friendly
A survey conducted by Infinity Solar shows more than three-quarters of all Australians (78%) believe in global warming and are doing their bit for the environment by using environmentally friendly habits at home.
Tasmanians topped the list at 96%, with Western Australians close behind on 89% and the Australian Capital Territory coming in third with 85%.
Turning off the lights topped the list as the most-used eco-friendly habit, with 95% of people flicking the switch when leaving a room, followed by shutting down the computer every night (73%) and restricting the use of air conditioning (68%).
Interestingly, while people limited their showers to four minutes during the 2007 droughts and subsequent government water restrictions, the survey showed only 37% of Aussies had kept up the water-saving habit.
Infinity Solar GM Murray McNaught said although cutting down the use of household lights reduced electricity consumption, Australians should start investing in energy-efficient lighting to gain larger savings on power bills and offset greenhouse emissions.
“The use of lights often accounts for up to 30-40% of a household power bill but there are ways to reduce these high costs,” McNaught said.
“Replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with more energy-efficient lighting, such as light emitting diodes or compact fluorescent, is a great environmental choice and will also help significantly lower household electricity consumption.
“LEDs often use less than half of the electricity needed to run a traditional light fitting, so installing LED lighting can save as much as 15 to 20% off a power bill."
Coming in second-last on the list of eco-friendly habits was the four-minute shower, which became a necessity when the nation was in drought six years ago.
The average hot water system that includes an electric element accounts for at least 20-30% of a household power bill.
Replacing an electric hot water system with solar hot water system can cut 25% off a power bill.
