Green homes
Climate change is one of the most serious issues facing the planet today. Did you know that the average UK home emits around six tonnes of environmentally harmful carbon dioxide per year? But don’t worry, there is plenty you can do to reduce those emissions, with our top ten tips for making your home more energy efficient:
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- Buy green electricity - Burning fossil fuels to create electricity is the UK’s biggest cause of climate change. By switching to green electricity you are taking the single biggest step that you can take to reduce your impact on the environment.
- Cool down - Turning your thermostat down by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent and save you around £40 per year.
- Turn it off - Always turn off the lights when you leave a room. Don’t leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily.
- Insulate your loft - Insulating your loft is one of the simplest ways to save energy. In a year you could save between £180 and £220.
- Buy energy saving light bulbs - Replace your light bulbs with energy saving recommended ones: just one can reduce your lighting costs by up to £100 over the lifetime of the bulb – and they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs.
- Replace old for new - If your boiler is over 15 years old it’s probably time to replace it. By law, new boilers must now be of the high-efficiency condensing type. They can help you save up to a third on your heating bills and even more if you upgrade to modern controls.
- Treat your tank and get it a jacket - An insulating jacket for a hot water tank only costs a few pounds and pays for itself within months. Fit one that’s at least 75mm (3”) thick and you could save around £20 a year.
- Use only what you need - Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you’re using an electric kettle).
- Turn the temperature down – Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat shouldn’t need to be set higher than 60°C/140°F.
- Look for a logo - When buying new appliances look for the energy efficiency logo. Energy saving appliances use less energy and could save you up to £45 a year.
For more energy saving tips visit ecotricity, they’re dedicated to cutting the environmental costs of producing electricity.
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