When you need to replace an appliance keep an eye out for the Energy
Saving Recommended logo or check its EU energy rating.
Switch
off appliances,don't leave them on standby
Electrical equipment such as microwaves, TVs, stereos and computers
all use a surprising amount of energy whilst on standby. For example, 85% of the energy used by a DVD
player is wasted when it is on standby.
Unplug chargers from the wall
Even when they are not charging anything, they still use energy, a mobile
phone charger could waste £10 a year.
Leaving items on charge all the time can also adversely affect the
battery life, meaning you have to replace them more often.
Wash laundry loads on the low-temperature programme
Modern detergents are designed to be as effective at <40 degrees
as they are at 60 degrees. While you are at it why not consider an environmentally friendly detergent,
such as Ecover?
Use low energy lighting
As your bulbs blow, replace them with low energy versions. A 20 watt low energy bulb puts
out as much light as a 100 watt standard bulb and the low energy one lasts up to 10 times as long!
From time to time we and other local organisations are
able to offer a number low energy light bulbs for free!
Invest in some energy saving measures
Double glazing, loft and cavity wall insulation and draft excluders
all have a huge effect on the amount of heat lost from your house. Double glazing alone could halve
the amount of heat lost through your windows!
Do an energy check for your home and see how much you could save by
taking the recommended courses of action. The Energy Saving Trust have a quick and simple on-line energy
check. Simply click the title above or call their free telephone number: 0800
512012.
Recycle as much of your waste as possible
Recycling saves energy. The amount of energy required to make a new
glass bottle is much greater than the amount used in recycling a used glass bottle back into a new one.
So by recycling your not only reducing landfill and the associated climate changing effects, but you
are also saving energy and the carbon emissions that come with it. Click the title to find out more.
Switch on to Green Electricity
Most electricity suppliers are now offering green tariffs. Sometimes
this means that some of your bill goes towards investing in new renewable technologies, other times
this actually means you are getting electricity from renewable sources.
Phone your supplier and ask what they offer or change to a supplier
like Ecotricity (external website) who operate
their own wind turbines.
Older toilets use a massive 9 litres of drinking water every time you
flush. By placing a Hippo or save-a-flush bag in the cistern you can save around a litre per flush.
Install dual flush toilets
If replacing your toilet, a modern dual flush toilet gives you the option
of a small flush and a full flush, depending on the circumstances!
Turn off the taps while cleaning your teeth
Leaving the tap running while you clean your teeth can waste a lot of
water, the equivalent of a bath full of water in a household of four.
Take showers
A bath uses on average 80 litres of water, while showers use around
30. So save energy and water by opting for a shower rather than a soak.
Get a water meter fitted
By getting a water meter fitted you can see how much water you actually
use on a daily basis, this encourages most people to conserve water and use it much more efficiently.
And when you save water with a water meter, you save money!
Get a waterbutt, or two
It is predicted that hosepipe bans will be a regular feature of our
summers, so why not invest in a waterbutt to store the rainwater from your roof? What you use the water
for is up to you, whether in the garden or washing the car.
Fill up the dishwasher and washing machine
Running dishwashers and washing machines when they are not full wastes
a lot of water and energy. Cutting out one wash a week would save you over 5000 litres of water a year!
