Ok, all these years of maintaining that hippyman is not a hippy, he is going to post a thread that somehow undoes all that.
Currently, I am scared stiff of using anything electrical due to the recurring adverts on TV that the world is going to be doomed with global warming with the seas boiling away until we are all vaporised. Plus I am increasingly aware of the ever rising price of gas and electricity (not directly, but quite often I've had to prise the power bill away from my parents' hands after they've enarly passed out on how much they have to pay).
So, more down to guilt of using power than wanting to single-handedly save the world, I've gathered a list of ways to help your home to be energy efficient and save you money. Maybe that way I can rid the guilt... Please feel free to post your own ways of doing this, and I'll update the list if it takes off. Maybe it's something the freeola offices may even consider doing.
Most of these are known, but it's a start:
Don't use the standby function 8-10% of all electricity used in the home is used to power appliances on standby. Turning off fully can save the typical household £37 a year and if the whole nation does it, we can save 4m tonnes of excess CO2 being released into the atmosphere.
Link to source
Stats from the BBC (Thanks pb)
Switch off at the plug Many devices use a power adapter that remains on constantly even though they are not being used. On average, 10 of these are plugged in around the clock in every home, which means an extra 360KWh of wasted energy a year.
Switch out the lights Easy thing to do and can save £££. Average bulb uses 60W an hour. Turning it off for an extra hour per day will save 22,000W over the year. Also stop to think if it is necessary for a light to be on.
Energy efficient light bulbs as 10-15% of all electricity used in the household is usually for the lighting, using a lower power bulb can save £££. In fact, a typical energy efficient bulb can save £100 over the lifetime of the bulb. Most use 80% less power, yet still can provide the same amount of lighting, as well as lasting 10-12 times longer.
Don't boil more than you need Not only will it mean your water will boil much quicker, you save a lot of power by not boiling the water you don't actually need. Find out how much water you need by filling the container with water and pouring that into the kettle (plus a little bit to compensate for evaporation).
Foil back radiators To reflect the heat of your radiator back in. This is particularly important on outer walls as it stops the heat escaping outside. This will mean less energy is wasted and will mean less £££ spent on the heating.
Wear a jumper rather than putting on the heating or turning up the thermostat. Try adjusting it so the heating is used for two hours less a day and see how much it saves you.
Hang dry clothing rather than use a tumble drier or equivalent. Best done outdoors as it freshens the clothing as well, but if it's wet, hang them to dry indoors - away from radiators, so that you can maintain the efficiency of them for heating the room.
Keep the fridge freezer full As this makes it more efficient and means the motor actually has to work less to keep everything cold. If you don't have a full fridge as shopping day is around the corner, fill up bottles of water or carrier bags full of newspaper to help fill the space.
1oC less can make a difference Turn the thermostat down by just 1 degree, combined with using the heating less will again save energy and money.
Get your boiler serviced at least once a year This will help keep it as efficient as possible. The cost of a service is usually much less than the cost of the extra fuel the boiler would otherwise burn over the course of the year. (Eccles)
Loft insulation Fairly cheap from most DIY stores and relatively easy to install. Make sure it's at least 2.5" thick and goes over any rafters and not just between them. Oh and while you're up in the roof space:
Lag your water pipes. (Eccles)
Cool store for Eco things (I don't care if these are eco, some seem pretty cool for what they are)
Recycled products lead to an eco lifestyle, which we must all improve one small step every day. Recycling and then buying products made from recycled materials is key! (Geoecostore)
