Quick and easy changes
There are lots of quick and easy things you can do at home to reduce your carbon footprint – and save money too! Here’s our top ten tips:
- Switch off your electrical appliances at the plug, instead of leaving them on standby. This could save you around £45 a year on your electricity bill.
- Switch off lights when you’re not in the room and save around £7 a year.
- Wash clothes at a lower temperature (20 or 30 degrees) and get in the habit of only using your washing machine when it’s full and you could save £27 a year.
- Spend less time in the shower – aim for 4 minutes and you could save around £45 a year.
- Don’t overfill your kettle, just use the amount of water you need and you can save £30 a year.
- Turn your thermostat down – going from 20 degrees C to 19 degrees C can save up to £105 a year on your heating bill.
- Replace light bulbs in your home with LED bulbs. They use at least 75% less energy and last up to 25 times as long. They’ll also save you around £60 a year.
- Cook smart – microwaves, air fryers and slow cookers use far less energy than your oven or hob. Use them when you can.
- Ask your energy supplier about switching to a renewable energy tariff – your electricity will come from renewable energy generation such as solar, wind, geothermal (using heat from the Earth) or hydroelectric (using water from rivers to spin a turbine).
- Fit draught excluders on doors and windows to stop too much cold air getting in and save up to £85 per year
We have used estimated savings from the Energy Saving Trust website, based on a typical 3 bedroomed, gas heated house in Great Britain.
