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Carbon savings

Recycling saves energy and helps to tackle climate change. 

 

Nearly two thirds of household rubbish can be recycled, making it easier to have an impact on your carbon footprint without an impact on your lifestyle.

 

For example, recycling just one aluminium can will save enough energy to run a television set for three hours.

 

1 aluminium can can power a tv for 3 hours
1 aluminium can can power a tv for 3 hours

 Other tips include:

  • Don't leave TVs or videos on standby

  • Switch off your PC screen when it's not being used

  • Turn down your heating thermostat by 1°C and save about £10 a year.

  • Keep furniture away from radiators; the foam in an upholstered chair is a very effective heat insulator

  • When cooking choose the right pan size for the food and the cooker

  • Cut food into smaller pieces and put lids on pans as the food will then cook a lot quicker

  • Regularly defrost the freezer and try to keep it packed full, even if this is with scrunched up paper to avoid wasting energy

  • Check the seals on your fridge/freezer to ensure no warm air is getting in - the seals should be tight enough to hold a piece of paper securely when closed

  • Use the washing machine with full loads and wash at 30°C. With today's washing powders this temperature is more than adequate to clean clothes and can save as much as three quarters of the cost of the hottest cycle

  • Domestic water does not need to be turned to scalding. For most people setting the thermostat to 60°C/140°F is hot enough

  • The sun is the most readily available source of heat - and the cheapest! So make the most of it by opening internal doors letting rooms get the sun and the warm air travels through your home

  • Avoid using tumble driers and radiators to dry your clothes; on nice sunny days clothes can be dried outside

  • Change lightbulbs to energy saving bulbs which last up to 10 times longer. This should save you money over the lifetime of the bulb

  • Swap a bath for a shower.  Heating water uses energy so by taking a quick shower you will use about a third of the water of a bath

  • Close the curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through windows

  • Only boil as much water as you need in saucepans and kettles

  • Fix dripping taps. Replacing worn washers is quick, cheap and easy and you will prevent a dripping tap wasting up to 15 litres of water a day or almost 5,500 litres per year. For those on a meter this could save over £18 a year

  • Putting a jacket on your hot water tank will pay for itself in 6 months.  Fit one that’s at least 75mm thick and you could save around £30 per year. 

 

Energy Efficiency in the home
Energy Efficiency in the home

Household tips for cost and carbon savings:

  • Putting aluminium foil behind any radiators will save 0-0.05 tonnes CO2 per year

  • Fitting an insulating jacket to the hot water tank will save 0.1-0.5 tonnes CO2 per year

  • Filling in the cavity walls saves 1 tonne CO2 per year

  • Insulating the loft can save 0.5-1 tonne per year

  • Fitting central heating controls can save 0.1-0.5 tonnes per year

  • Fitting a room thermostat can save 0.1-0.5 tonnes per year

  • Blocking drafts can save 0.05-0.1 tonnes per year

  • Fitting internal wall insulation saves 0.5-1 tonne per year

  • Fitting external wall insulation saves 0.5-1 tonne per year

  • Installing a condensing boiler saves 0.5-1 tonne per year

  • Installing solar panels saves 0.5-1 tonne per year

  • Installing ground source heat pumps to heat your house from the ground saves 1+ tonne per year

  • Fitting double glazing saves at least one tonne per year.

Travel carbon savings:

  • It is more fuel efficient to change gear at 2500revs per minute in petrol cars and 2000revs per minute in diesel cars

  • Check the tyre pressure. Tyres under-inflated by 10 per cent add one per cent to fuel consumption

  • Speeding at 85mph uses about 25 per cent more fuel than at 70mph. Stick to the most efficient speed of 60-65mph

  • Air conditioning uses 20-25 per cent more fuel so try to avoid using it

  • Remove roof and cycle racks when not in use as they cause the vehicle to use more fuel

  • Try car sharing once a week

  • Plan journeys to avoid getting lost and using additional fuel

  • A quarter of all car trips are less than two miles. Use your bike or walk short distances, such as to the shops or work, whenever possible

  • 75 per cent of people live within two miles of a National Cycle Network. There are over 10,000 miles of cycle safe paths and tracks in the UK

  • Before booking a flight in Europe consider alternatives such as the train.


 

Reduce your carbon footprint
 Energy Saving idea Cost saving Carbon saving  Per
 Turn off the TV at night  £3.70  20kg  Per year
 Turn the stereo off at night  £12.00  66kg  Per year
 Cancel that flight to Barcelona  £100  1109kg  One a year
 Reuse a plastic bag instead of getting a new one  £0  0.065kg  Per bag
 Turn the hot water down 1 oC  £1.80  10kg  Per year
 Turn the heating thermostat down 1 oC  £30.00  250kg  Per year
 Turn the DVD player off at night  £8.00  44kg  Per year
 Unplug the mobile phone charger  £1.90  10.5kg  Per year
 Switch to A** rated fridge  £45  200kg  Per year
 Recycle a glass bottle  £0  0.5kg  Per bottle
 Bike or walk instead of driving  £1.20   2kg  Per journey
 Dry the washing on the line  £0.27  1.5kg  Per wash
 Get grocery shopping delivered instead of driving to the supermarket  £190  700kg  Per year
 Car share when taking kids to school  £190  700kg  Per year
 Give up the car  Up to 5k*  5000kg  Per year

 

*Includes all annual car running costs

(Table taken from www.whatprice.co.uk)