4.2 Action!

In this section:

What you can do now

These tips won't cost you a penny and are easily done by everybody. However they might not fit with everybody's lifestyle. Don't feel guilty if you can't do everything, the important is to find a balance between the actions we can do to save the planet and save money without having to compromise on our quality of life.

Save energy (heat and electricity)

A KettleUnplugging your plugs

Most of us have energy on taps. If we had to go to the shop and buy our units of gas and electricity, we would think twice about how we are using our energy. These are the things you can do to save energy:

Electricity

  • Switch appliances off when not in use such as lights, radio, TV, computers, etc.
  • Switch off at the plug any appliances that have a stand-by light such as TVs, videos, DVD, PC screen, etc and unplug any chargers.
  • Fill the kettle with just the necessary amount of water.
  • Keep your appliances maintained to make sure they perform properly. For example defrost the freezer regularly, check the seals, bleed your radiators, de-scale the kettle, etc.
  • Keep the doors of the fridge and freezer opened for the strictly necessary amount of time and don't put hot/warm food in them. Put the freezer in a cooler place such as the garage if possible.
  • Use the right size/type of pots and pans when cooking and use lids.
  • Use pressure-cookers, steamers and microwaves, which use less energy than a conventional oven.
  • Fill up your washing machine/dishwasher before turning it on, and make sure the lowest setting is selected for the wash.
  • Dry clothes outside or use a clothes horse

Heating

  • Turn the heating thermostat down by 1°C and wear another layer of clothes instead.
  • Time your heating appropriately so that the temperature is at its lowest when you're not in the house.
  • Keep furniture clear of radiators and don't cover them with clothes, for example.
  • In winter, don't keep outside doors open unnecessarily.
  • Reduce the thermostat of your hot water tank to 60°C.
  • Make the most out of the rooms that receive natural sunlight, make them your living spaces if possible. In winter, make the most out of this free heat by opening the curtains and open the doors between rooms to let the warm air circulate.
  • At night and especially in winter and on windows receiving no sun, insulate your windows with thick curtains or, even better, shutters.

Travel more efficiently

Travelling is part of life - we all have to travel most days to work, school, the shops or visiting friends. Most of the journeys we take involve emitting some CO2. Therefore the question is how can we reduce the CO2 we produce on all these journeys?

  • Avoid unnecessary trips using the car, such as going to the shop because you forgot to buy something; make lists.
  • Use your bike or walk short distances when possible.
  • Try car sharing as much as you can or use public transport.
  • Plan journeys well to avoid getting lost and using additional fuel.
  • Avoid using air-conditioning when not strictly necessary.
  • Remove roof and cycle racks when not in use as they increase fuel consumption.
  • Stick to the most efficient speed of 60-65mph.
  • Change gear in the car when you reach 2500revs per minute in petrol cars and 2000revs per minute in diesel cars to be most fuel efficient
  • Check your tyre pressure.
  • Organise holidays closer to home.
  • Travel by train, boat or coach instead of flying.

Transport in the District

Buy less, waste less (Reduce - Re-use - Recycle)

Living a low-carbon lifestyle is not just about reducing our energy consumption and travelling more efficiently. All the choices we make in life have an impact on the environment whether it is direct or indirect, and one area that significantly contributes to our overall carbon footprint is our shopping habits.

  • To reduce the amount of goods we buy, ask yourself the question: "Do I really need to buy this?", "What would happen if I don't buy it?", "What else could I use instead?"
  • Avoid wasting food, cook the right amount and reduce the quantity of meat you consume.
  • Choose items with the lowest packaging; buy in bulk, concentrates, loose food, etc and avoid disposables.
  • Choose items that can be easily re-used and recycled.
  • Re-use items as much as possible, such as plastic bags, jars and bottles. For a full list of items to reuse around the house visit: www.recycling-guide.org.uk/reuse.html (This link will open in a new window).

Try to limit the amount you throw away. Instead, sell, donate, compost and recycle:

What about water?

A person rinsing a toothbrush under a tap

Again because water is on tap, we often forget about the fact that we are paying for it and that it needs energy to be purified and treated. Water is also a resource we put a lot of pressure on as our consumption increases.

For tips on saving water (reduce / re-use / recycle):