Tel: 03450 450 500
Email: sustainability@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)
About these pages
- The Low-Carbon Living pages have just been launched and are currently under review. You are welcome to send your comments to sustainability@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)
Our Partners
- South Cambridgeshire's Environment Group
Help address the issues and monitor the progress of the Community Strategy, which contains a series of actions to help improve the quality of life across the district and that tackle climate change.
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Climate Change Network
A cross-sectoral partnership providing support to public and private sector organisations as well as local communities seeking to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
- South Cambridgeshire Strategic Partnership
The South Cambridgeshire Strategic Partnership (or LSP: Local Strategic Partnership) is a partnership between the council and various partners to work together towards achieving economic, environmental and social standards for the district.
4.2 Action!
In this section:
- What you can do now
- Invest a little, save a lot
- Over the hurdles
Invest a little, save a lot
Save energy - 10 tips that don't cost the earth
- Put aluminium foil (or specially designed panels) behind any radiators to reflect the heat into the house.
- Insulate your hot water tank with a good insulating jacket.
- Fill in the cavity walls to insulate your house.
- Buy Energy saving light bulbs (also known as CFL - Compact Fluorescent Lamps) with an "A" Rating
- Insulate the loft with minimum depth of 250mm (12 inches) of insulating materials such as Mineral wool (Rockwool or Rocksil), fibreglass or recycled paper.
- Fit central heating controls designed to ensure that the boiler is only working when heat is needed in the home.
- Fit a room thermostat preferably in the living room and set it at 20°C/68°F.
- Stop any draughts around windows, doors and floorboards whilst keeping rooms with gas appliances properly ventilated for safety reasons.
- Fit Thermostatic Valves to radiators to insure optimum heating
- Fit internal wall insulation with thermal boards and or external wall insulation.
Use alternative fuels which don't emit as much CO2 as normal fuels
Bio-diesel (which is made from waste oil, rapeseed, sunflower, palm or soy) may be used with a 5% blend of bio-diesel with normal diesel with no engine modifications. More may be used in specific engine (such as Volkswagen) with or without engine modification, check with the car manufacturers.
Bio-ethanol is produced by the fermentation of sugars from energy crops such as sugar beet, corn, maize and wheat crops. Bio-ethanol is blended with petrol and the most common blend is 10% ethanol and 90% petrol. Vehicle engines require no modifications to run and vehicle warranties are also unaffected. Higher blends require some engine modifications. At present only certain parts of the UK supply bio-ethanol. To find out where you can buy bio-ethanol visit What Green Car (This link will open in a new window).
Buy with a conscience
- When food shopping, think about your LOAF! LOAF stands for Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal friendly and Fairly traded.
- Buy good quality A rated electrical equipment, they will cost more initially but will save more in the long term whilst helping toward your CO2 emissions.
- Buy items made of 'noble' materials which can be easily recycled such as sustainable wood, glass, metal rather than plastic.
- Buy good quality durable products instead of short-life products that you will have to throw away and replace every so often.
- Buy solar powered items rather than battery powered ones or buy rechargeable batteries. A wide range such as solar lights, fountains, chargers, radios are now available in many shops.
