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Greener Living… At Home

Saving Energy

The energy that people use at home has a major impact on climate change, but it is really simple to reduce the amount of energy you use.

Here are some top tips for saving energy at home:

  • Insulate your home to save on heating.
  • Turn down your central heating by 1° (this will save you around 10% on heating bills!1).
  • Use energy efficient lighting and appliances – look out for the Energy Saving Recommended label and European Energy label (rating A or higher).
  • Switch off all appliances when not in use.
  • If you have a chimney, insert a chimney balloon, which will prevent warm air from escaping and keep cold air out.
  • Install an energy meter to monitor the energy you are consuming and understand where energy is being over-used.

Generate your own Energy

In addition to reducing the amount of energy consumed in your home, it is also possible to generate your own energy.

Popular resources for generating energy for homes include small scale wind turbines, solar water heating and electricity, ground source and air source heat pumps, and hydroelectricity.2

Saving Water

Did you know that each person in the UK uses 150 litres of water a day?3 If UK water consumption is not reduced soon we will face increased water stress in the future.

Here are some top tips for saving water at home:

  • Turn off the tap while you are brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your face.
  • Make sure your washing machine and dishwasher are full before turning them on.
  • Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl rather than under a running tap.
  • Take a short shower instead of a bath.
  • Put a Hippo Water Saver in your toilet cistern to save up to 3 litres of water each time the toilet is flushed.
  • Be  prepared for burst pipes: find out where your stop valve is make sure you are able to turn it on and off.

Waste and Recycling

The amount of waste produced in Britain is increasing each year4. Waste impacts climate change as it normally ends up in landfill sites; these sites produce ¼ of the UK’s emissions of methane5, a powerful greenhouse gas impacting climate change.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) recommends that the best way to deal with waste is to prevent it from being produced in the first place6.

Here are some top tips for preventing waste:

  • Use energy- and water- efficient appliances.
  • Buy products made from sustainable materials.
  • Avoid buying over-packaged goods.
  • Stop using carrier bags.
  • Register with the Mail Preference Service to stop junk mail.

Where total prevention is not possible try to re-use items that would otherwise be wasted:

  • Buy re-usable containers.
  • Use rechargeable batteries.
  • Use reusable nappies.
  • Donate to and buy from charity shops and second-hand stores.

Another way of reducing waste at home is by recycling:

  • Find out from your local Council what and where you can recycle.
  • Keep recyclable products separate from other rubbish so you can put it in your. recycling bin or take it to your local recycling centre.
  • Take bottles, scrap metal and wood, and fabric to your recycling points.
  • Compost your kitchen and garden waste.

Home Composting

Kitchen and garden waste often ends up in landfill sites; these sites give off methane which impacts climate change. Home composting reduces waste and provides you with free food for the soil in your garden.

What you can and can’t compost:

Can – ‘Greens’:

  • Fruit and vegetable peelings
  • House plants
  • Coffee grounds
  • Grass cuttings
  • Hedge trimmings
  • Garden and pond plants

‘Browns’:

  • Tea leaves and bags
  • Straw
  • Scrunched up paper and cardboard
  • Animal hair
  • Crushed egg shells
  • Cotton wool
  • Nuts (although it can take them a while to rot down)

Can’t:

  • Bones
  • Cigarette ends
  • Meat or fish
  • Dairy products
  • Cooked vegetables
  • Bread
  • Disposable nappies
  • Dog or cat excrement
  • Plastic bottles
  • Cans
  • Plastic bags
  • Crisp packets

Top tips for home composting:

  • Place your compost bin on bare soil in a reasonably sunny area.
  • If it is not possible to place your bin on soil, create a layer of paper, twigs or existing compost underneath it.
  • Add an equal mix of ‘green’ and ‘brown’ ingredients.
  • Allow 9-12 months for your compost to be ready for use; you can keep topping it up while you wait.
  • Mixing and turning the waste regularly will help it to decompose faster.
  • Compost should be kept moist but not wet. If it dries up just add a little water. If it’s too wet try draining it.
  • You will know your compost is ready to use when it has turned into a crumbly, dark substance, looks like thick, moist soil and smells earthy

Using your compost:

  • Use as mulch around the base of plants and trees to help them to retain moisture.
  • Spread around flower beds and vegetable patches to provide the soil with vital nutrients.
  • For new plants, dig a 10cm layer of compost into the soil before planting.
  • Sprinkle it over the soil in potted plants.

 

1. Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Play your part. Available at: www.sepa.org.uk2. Energy Saving Trust. Generate your own energy. Available at: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk3. Waterwise. The Facts. Available at: www.waterwise.org.uk4. Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Zero Waste. Available at: www.sepa.org.uk5. Recycle Now. Why recycling matters. Available at: www.recyclenow.com6. Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Prevention. Available at: www.sepa.org.uk

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