Go Green at home: save energy

Posted by GreenStreet.net on November 8, 2009

You want to do your bit to protect the environment, but you’re not sure how? Start fighting climate change today, with these easy steps.

You can cut your carbon footprint by making your home more energy efficient – and save money at the same time. Now that’s difficult to argue with!

Top 10 tips for saving energy at home

• Turn your thermostat down
  Reduce your room temperature by 1°C and you could cut your heating bills by 10 percent and save approx £55 per year.

  Is your water too hot? Your thermostat should be set at 60°C/140°F.

• Tweak your timer
  Set your heating and hot water to come on just when you need it, not all the time.

• Be a curtain twitcher
  Close your curtains to stop heat escaping through the windows and check for draughts around windows and doors.

• Trigger happy
  Always turn off the lights when you leave a room, and avoid leaving appliances on standby. Remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge.

• Is your laundry economical?
  Try to fill up your washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher before switching it on. One full load uses less energy than two half loads.

• Go green: buy energy saving productsKeep an eye out for energy efficient electrical products by looking for the Energy Saving Recommended label and European energy label (rating of A or higher).

• 

  Use 31% less energy with the Eco Kettle

  Hubble bubble, boil and trouble
  You’ve heard you should really boil just the water as you need. But that can be tricky, right? Try the Eco Kettle, which uses an average of 31% less energy than any other kettle. Its recommended by the UK’s Energy Saving Trust, so it must be a winner!

• Drip, drop…
  If you’ve got a dripping hot water tap, in one week it will waste enough hot water to fill half a bath! So hurry up and fix that tap, and make sure they’re fully turned off!

• Let there be light
  Energy saving lightbulbs may not be pretty but they last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs, and just using one could save you around £40 – £65 over the lifetime of the bulb.

• Ask the Experts: contact the Energy Savings Trust
  Do a home energy check online. Just answer a few questions to receive a free report showing how you can save up to £300 a year on your household energy bills. It’s worth checking: you could be eligible for money off insulation or other energy related home improvements.

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