Green is the new black and we are constantly being told that green is now the way forward in every walk of life.
Within these pages you will read about interesting energy saving ideas, money saving plans, and where you can save on your car and your home.
Thousands of positive changes can be made by everyone in a bid to build a better world. We all know that going green is a positive step and that by saving on energy such as electricity, water, light, heating, fuel, etc, we are helping the environment and our own lifestyles. However sometimes it is not easy to know how to go about making these savings. Below are a number of tips that will help you to run your household and your car efficiently, saving you much-needed cash in these recessionary times.
Energy saving ideas
Energy is vital to nearly all aspects of our daily lives - but we rarely stop to think about how or why we use it. As the price of energy continues to rise, now is the ideal time to consider what you can do to be more energy efficient. The good news is that there are many simple ways to use energy more efficiently that will save money and benefit the environment.
• Home energy tips that save you money
• Twenty energy efficient tips for building a new house
• Electricity saving tips
• Heating and insulation tips
• Motoring tips
• Renewable energy tips
Home energy tips that save you money
Hot water
Of course it should be hot, but it does not need to be scalding. For most people, setting the cylinder thermostat at 60°C/140°F is fine for bathing and washing. This can save up to €15 per year.
Light bulbs
If you use a particular light for an average of four hours or more a day, then replace it with an energy-saving equivalent - which will use around a quarter of the electricity and last up to 12 times longer. Each energy efficient bulb fitted could give you an estimated saving of €10.50 off your energy bill per year.
Kettles
Heat the amount of water you really need and if you are using an electric kettle, make sure you cover the elements. More modern kettles have no visible element so you use less water, you could also try to fill a cup and use it as a guide to fill the kettle, so that you boil the right amount of water.
Curtains
At night, pull the curtains to stop heat being lost through the windows.
Take care not to drape curtains over radiators as this will funnel heat straight out of the windows.
Heating
Turning the thermostat down by just 1°C can cut as much as 10 per cent off your heating bills.
You can also save on running costs by heating your home for an hour less each day.
Television, hi-fi, and Computers
Switch off your TV, video, and hi-fi at the set. Standby can use as much as 10 per cent - 60 per cent of the electricity that would be used by the device if it was switched on. Also don't forget to turn your computer monitor off, as it too wastes electricity if left on.
Appliances
When purchasing kitchen appliances such as fridges, freezers, dishwashers, and washing machines, opt for a more energy efficient appliance. An EU energy label should be displayed (A to G Scale ) on appliances for sale in order to help you make a choice, "A" being the most efficient and "G" being the worst guzzler for energy.
Tumble driers
Tumble driers are energy guzzlers so try to use washing lines or airers.
Don't put very wet clothing into the dryer, make sure you wring clothing out or spin dry again to help use less energy.
Fridges/freezers
These are the most hardworking appliances in the home.
Avoid putting warm or hot foods in the fridge, let them cool down first.
Don't leave the fridge or freezer door open, this means the fridge uses more energy to cool itself back down due to the cool air lost opening the door.
Switching energy supplier
In the current rising trend of energy prices it could well be worth shopping around to save money on your energy bills, further discounts are available if you switch both gas and electricity to the same supplier. It is a simple process and there is no disruption to your existing energy supply.
Insulation
Upgrading loft and, where possible, cavity insulation, will save energy in your home by reducing energy losses through the building fabric.
