Team approach to saving power, keeping healthy

WORKING TOGETHER: Electric Village energy champions Jaclyn Findon and Kohe Whenuaroa with new leaflets aimed at helping people conserve energy. Picture by Strike Photography

Tairawhiti residents are being given tips on how to keep power bills down while staying healthy.

The team at Gisborne’s Electric Village have teamed up with Turanga Health to deliver programmes to the region.

The iwi health provider’s DIY in the Whare programme teaches communities the do-it-yourself skills they need to improve and future-proof their homes. The many services include hands-on advice about plumbing and plastering, heating and insulation.

Electric Village have been attending the DIY in the Whare days to share a new guide called Power to the People. The programme was also shown to 150 people as part of Turanga Health’s kaumatua programme.

Turanga Health chief executive Reweti Ropiha said Power to the People provided a welcome addition to Turanga Health’s community outreach initiatives.

“The kaumatua programme is all about helping our older people stay in their home settings. We know many of our pakeke are conscious of their power bills, especially during the winter months. A resource such as this one gives our kaumatua and their whanau strategies for reducing their energy costs, but not at the expense of keeping warm.

“We were also impressed with the guide to understanding electricity bills. At Turanga Health we work hard on ensuring our whanau receive clear and relevant messages that empower rather than confuse. Power to the People is easy to understand and is helping whanau make informed choices.”

Kaumatua programme participant Rangi Tawera said he enjoyed Electric Village’s presentation and booklet.

“They were helpful and taught me things I can do around my home such as how to stop draughts and mould and how to keep my home warm.”

Electric Village’s energy champion Jaclyn Findon said the 16-page Power to the People guide was intended to help people identify ways to save money through smarter energy choices.

“For the past 18 months, the team at Electric Village has been working with the community to help people save money through smarter energy consumption, and making sure that they are getting the best deals from electricity retailers.

“Power to the People was written based on feedback from Electric Village, and topics we know our community is interested in. We also had the content reviewed by energy experts from around the country to make sure we got it right.”

Power to the People also includes Tairawhiti-based services which can help people understand and manage electricity.

That included help to understand how energy was consumed in homes and suggesting behavioural changes that could reduce the amount consumed.

It also taught users how to read and understand an electricity bill, as well as providing tips about switching electricity retailers, and what to do if someone cannot pay a bill.

The guide could be obtained from Electric Village in Gladstone Road.

“Anyone can stop by Electric Village to pick up a copy of the guide, and talk to the team about home energy,” Ms Findon said.