Episode 2: The electricity challenge

Each family will be set a target to reduce their power use by a certain percentage. The targets are specific to each family and are designed to be achievable without the families having to give up too much. The challenges last 5 days and if, at the half-way stage, the families look like their going to fail, the experts will restrict their access to certain appliances to get them back on track. Each family will have a family member appointed as a challenge monitor to lead their efforts.

The first challenge is the electricity challenge. The Moriartys have to reduce their electricity usage by 60% over five days. Dad Eugene is appointed challenge monitor and immediately sets about switching off all the lights in a panic.

Its worse news for the energy guzzlers the Quinlans. Their target is a massive 70% reduction. Mum Sarah is put in charge of leading their efforts. Like in Kerry, most of the effort is put into less light usage but the family are very unhappy when told that their two washing machines and two tumble dryers are to be rationed severely.

In Kerry, challenge monitor Eugene’s been hiding his wife and daughter’s hairdryers in an effort to get them to not use them. This of course, goes down very badly.

In Dublin, the Quinlan’s target was set to allow them to use their pool and hot-tub only sparingly. They’ve decided to not use it at all and hope that it passes their challenge for them. They’ve missed the point that they’re supposed to be planning their lives differently and are simply going without.

At the half-way point, both families are failing but surprisingly, it’s the enthusiastic Moriartys who have the most ground to make up having only reduced their electricity usage by 30%. The Quinlans on the other hand are living a spartan existence having decided that the only way to pass the challenge was to give everything up. But even with this strategy, they’ve only effected a 60% reduction.

As a result, the experts ban both families from using their washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers. The Moriartys are told to stop using their electric storage heaters as they account for a sizeable amount of their wasted electricity and they happen to have gas central heating as well!

The Quinlans are also told to restrict the amount of time they spend on the big screen TV. They’re given the choice between an hour in the hot-tub or an hour on the TV with a computer game. Unsurprisingly, the kids opt for the TV.

But will these restrictions help the families reach their targets and help them stop being wasters?If they pass, each family will be rewarded with something that will help them on their journey towards being greener.