Top tip: To save paper and energy, please don't just automatically print out this page!

Global climate change is already happening. But if we all use less energy we could make a difference and the average household could save around £200 a year in power bills.

Saving energy

Tonight

• Switch off lights when leaving the room for more than ten minutes.
• Take a shower instead of a bath - it uses only 40% of the hot water needed for a bath unless you have a power shower.
• Turn TVs, videos, computers, mobile phone chargers and stereos off at the plug – leaving them on standby uses almost as much electricity as when they are switched on.

In the kitchen

• Don't leave the fridge or freezer door open longer than necessary.
• Keep your fridge freezer at the right temperature (2-3 C and -15 C) and allow air to circulate behind your fridge.
• Only boil the amount of water you need in the kettle.Cook with lids on pans and choose the right sized ring for the pan's size.
• Use cooler wash temperatures and full loads in washing machines. Run your washing machine or tumble dryer overnight to save money if you're on an off-peak meter, and help reduce energy demands at peak times. Dry your clothes naturally where possible.

Heating

• Make sure your cylinder thermostat for hot water is set to 60 C. There is no need to have scalding water and it could save you £10 a year.
• A comfortable living room temperature is 18 C. Turning down your thermostat by one degree, or using an hour less heating a day can save up to 10% of heating costs.
• Don’t open windows or doors to cool a room, turn down the heating instead.
• Close curtains at dusk to keep heat from being lost through windows.

This weekend

• Change to energy efficient light bulbs – They cost around £5, but last up to 12 times longer than traditional light bulbs and only use a quarter of the electricity, so you’ll save on bills.
• Defrost your freezer regularly and clean ‘fuzz’ off the piping at the back.
• Upgrade new electrical appliances with those that display the ‘Energy Efficiency Recommended Logo’, only those rated at Band A.
• Line curtains to help keep in heat.
• Put aluminium foil behind, and shelves above radiators to reflect heat.
• Put lagging on your hot water pipes – you can buy pre-formed foam tubing from a DIY store.
• Choose a high efficiency Condensing Boiler. It costs £250 to £400 more than an ordinary boiler, but should save £100 to £130 a year in heating bills.
• Put an insulation jacket (ideally 80mm or 3 inches thick) on your hot water tank so it doesn’t use as much energy to keep hot. It could cut your heat loss by 75%.
• Draught-proof all doors and windows - 15% of heat escapes through draughts. You can use a cheap, easy-to-fix brush or PVC seal on exterior doors.
• Insulate your loft (should be at least 25cm thick) – a quarter of your heat is lost through the roof. Go one step further and use ‘Thermafleece’, a local, sustainable, natural home insulation material made from hill sheep wool - check out details at www.secondnatureuk.com (opens in new window).

Cavity wall insulation will help to stop heat loss of up to 35% from escaping through your walls.

• Fix dripping taps – in one day a dripping hot water tap could waste enough hot water to a fill a bath.

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy has been described as “those continuous energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment, from the sun to the wind and the oceans, and from plants and the flow of water.”

It is energy available from sources that are inexhaustible, using technology such as wind turbines, hydro electric, offshore wind and wave power, solar energy or photovoltaics, geothermal technology, fast growing trees and other ‘energy crops’, animal waste to produce methane and burning wood to produce energy.

How can I use renewable energy?

• use the sun for drying clothes.
• choose a green electricity tariff, where the energy company guarantees that they will source an equal amount of the electricity you consume from existing renewable energy sources such as wind farms.
• Install your own renewable energy system, like solar panels on your roof or a ground source heat pump.

The Full Monty

This web page is just a taste of what's on offer!

For more advice, information, links to fantastic websites and background on how you can save pounds whilst saving the planet, download the Toolkit for Sustainable Living in South Lakeland (opens Document Library)