Take Action

 

Reduce your own environmental footprint Energy Use at Home

On a daily basis without incurring any costs

  • Turn off lights and appliances not int use
  • Reduce the temperature setting on your central heating by 1 degree and wear an extra layer
  • Don’t fill kettles or pans more than necessary
  • Use a lid on saucepans when possible it reduces energy use substantially
  • Use a microwave or slow cooker rather than a hob or oven
  • Use economy settings on your dishwasher and lower temperatures on yoour washing machine
  • Dry clothes on an airer or washing line rather than your tumble drier which is one of the biggest energy users.

Get an energy survey

This will cost about £50 and will provide you with a list of recommendations on what you could do to make your energy use more efficient.  Some may involve minimal expenditure, some may attract grant aid, some may not be cost effective.  These could include:

  • Increase your loft insulation
  • Install double o(or triple glazing)
  • Install energy efficient doors or at least draft excluders
  • Improve floor and/or wall insulation
  • Install radiator reflectors behind radiators

Take steps to ensure that the energy you use is sustainable

This may involve substantial investment which will result in a substantial reduction in your bills but will only be repaid over a period of about 10 years.  However it is where the biggest reductions in your carbon footprint.

  • Move to a supplier who supplies renewable energy where possible
  • install solar panels, preferably including battery storage to make best use of what you generate.  Typically in the UK you could generate about 60% of your electricity requirements 
  • Replace gas, oil or solid fuel heating systems with an air source or ground source heat pump.  Heating accounts for about two-thirds of domestic CO2 emissions in the home.