This is the last thing I’ll say about energy use and CO₂ emissions—for now. Maybe during Pluto’s transit in Aquarius, these critical issues will be addressed, especially if global temperatures keep rising. I’ve been reading more about it, and it turns out television use doesn’t have as much of an impact as I thought. Even if you’re the average American watching five hours a day, it’s still on the lower end of the energy-use scale. The bigger issue is the overall power demand of our homes. Today I turned off my old boiler—it needs replacing—but I’m curious to see how much energy I save with it off. Also, those carbon footprint calculators are pretty vague. They tend to group people into broad categories instead of using actual data. Rather than just asking about insulation, maybe they should be using real electricity and gas usage. Some people live in poorly insulated homes with very little heating—it’s not always a matter of choice.

The carbon footprint calculators often equate insulation and affluence with eco-friendliness. A person living in a draughty old house— with more charm than heat retention—might be using next to no energy, not through choice but through necessity of poverty. Wrapped in blankets, sipping lukewarm tea and dreaming of central heating. Meanwhile, someone in a high-spec, triple-glazed, geothermal-heated eco-palace might be running underfloor heating and a hot tub and charging an electric car—all powered by the national grid. Wealth also doesn’t automatically equate to waste. Some affluent folk may, in fact, be remarkably restrained and eco-aware.  And let’s be real: how you live is often dictated by means. A cold, dark flat is rarely the utopia of an eco-warrior.

If home electricity and gas gobble the share of our energy usage (which, for most households, they do), then the wise move is to be canny with what we’ve got. Less energy used, lower bills, fewer emissions. You can become a quiet rebel, sticking it to both the climate crisis and the utility companies.

In astrology, Pluto, the agent of transformation and reckoning, is no minor background player in this situation as it moves through the sign of Aquarius. The planet tears down illusions, yanks up rotten roots, and demands authenticity. Aquarius, on the other hand, is the sign of technology, rebellion, innovation, and collective welfare. Maybe we should expect huge overhauls in energy systems. How it’s generated, distributed, and consumed.

Regardless of this transit, if frugality, resourcefulness, and eco-awareness become part of your ethos, then you’re already on the right track. Next year, I’m planning to try one of those “no-spending” years—cutting out consumerism, keeping energy bills low, and making the most of what I already have. Stretching things out longer, repairing instead of replacing—all those little changes really do add up.

It’s actually quite enjoyable to see how much you can save without feeling deprived. But there are always debates about the best way to do things. For example, some argue that using a dishwasher is actually more efficient than handwashing dishes. I’ve always hand-washed and assumed that was better.

Some studies show that modern energy-efficient dishwashers use less water and energy than hand-washing—but only if you:

• Don’t pre-rinse excessively (a light scrape is enough),
• Run it full, and
• Use eco or short cycles.

Hand-washing can be more wasteful if you’re using a running tap like a musical waterfall or filling a sink full of steaming water several times a day. But if you’re strategic—using a washing-up bowl, reusing the rinse water for soaking crusty pans—then hand-washing can still hold its own. Really, it’s not about absolutes. It’s about intention. Mindful consumption. You’re making a life of conscious choices. This kind of consumer rebellion doesn’t need a picket sign, it only needs a quiet refusal to be ruled by impulse. Beyond that, I’m also going to challenge myself to use less of various products—being more intentional with consumption. The bonus is, you often save money too, so it can really be a win-win.

It’s important to stay conscious of our impact, but not become paranoid about every little thing. The world won’t fall apart if you watch a bit of TV or spend some time online. It’s really about being more mindful and aware. I do wonder how we’ll all be living by the end of this Pluto-in-Aquarius transit. These kinds of planetary shifts tend to bring changes on a broader, more global scale—maybe even how we view and use resources altogether.

Using less of everything—less shampoo, less packaging, less energy, fewer paper towels flung—it’s applying the principle of enough to every corner of your existence.  It’s never to shame, but to understand. Knowledge isn’t a burden, it’s liberation dressed in numbers. We mustn’t fall into eco-anxiety, chasing every carbon molecule. It’s being more conscious. By the end of this transit in 2044, I suspect consumption may shift from conspicuous to conscious.

Overall, I’ll be changing my lifestyle—but it’s more about cutting back on unnecessary use: not leaving things running, reducing washing machine cycles, turning off lights when they’re not needed, and using things more sparingly.

It’s a renaissance of consciousness, one light switch at a time. You strip away the excess, the idle appliances, the spin cycles of thoughtless routine. At first these acts of mindful conservation might feel like chores. Like you’ve been drafted into a silent war against convenience. But give it time, and it morphs into ritual. You start to feel the quiet power in turning things off. You don’t feel like you’re being carried along by the current of unconscious consumption. The numbers on CO₂ emissions are staggering. A cold slap of truth. But you’re not powerless. Every switch flicked off, every cycle skipped, every item repaired is a micro-act of rebellion against the machinery of waste. We’re living in a time where you can be eco-conscious without giving up your entire lifestyle. Because technology, innovation, and good old-fashioned frugality are aligning. We’ve got the tools to live lighter and more richly—if we’re just a bit more awake to what we’re doing. You’re only reducing your footprint. Less stomping, more stepping lightly.