Saving Energy can Save Money AND Protect the Planet

Around 21% of the UK’s carbon emissions come from our homes. With the increase in energy prices that we have seen, making your home more energy efficient will lower your energy bills. Good for the planet and your pocket!

Many organisations talk about energy saving tips, but they often require a big financial outlay with buying a new boiler or retrofitting your house. These are great ideas and will have a big impact on your energy consumption, but if you can’t afford these right now, here are some lifestyle tips you can make that won’t cost you a thing.

While individually the odd £30 doesn’t sound like much, added up these changes could save over £300 a year for a family of four.

 

Take a 4 minute shower             

An average household will use around 17% of its total energy consumption to heat water – so using less water means using less energy too. Reducing your shower time to 4-minute showers could save £95 a year and switching a bath a week for a 4-minute shower can save another £20.

 

Avoid using the tumble dryer

Tumble dryers are expensive to run and use a lot of energy so try to dry clothes on racks and save £70 a year. Clothes will dry quicker in an airing cupboard, by the boiler or a radiator. Just remember to ventilate the room with extractor fan or trickle window vent so you don’t create condensation in the house.

Switch off standby

Switching off standby can save £65. Most electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. Some satellite and digital TV recorders may need to be left plugged in so they can keep track of any programmes you want to record or broadband may be needed for your smart heating system but Alexa, TVs and computers certainly don’t need to be on 24/7.

How and how often you wash your clothes

While it’s difficult to ask young kids not to make their clothes dirty, teenagers and adults can certainly wear clothes more than once before they put them in the wash. If you like wearing something different every day, have a section of your wardrobe dedicated to ‘wore once’ clothes and rotate them a few times before doing the ‘sniff test’. If you can reduce your washing by one run a week and drop to 30c washes, you can save £34 a year.

Turn off lights  

Do you remember the grumpy uncle when you were a kid that would follow you round the house turning off the lights moaning about the electricity bills? Well, there was some logic in that. Turning off your lights when you are not in the room can save up to £25 a year.

 

For more advice on energy saving and green energy, pop along to the Sussex Green Hub.

The Sussex Green Hub happens 10am – 4pm the last Saturday of the month at United Reformed Church, Springfield Road, Horsham.

Note: The costs are based on energy prices in October 2022 and from an article written by the Energy Saving Trust https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/hub/quick-tips-to-save-energy/

 

 

 

by Melanie Nurse