Energy Saving Tips

It's all about small steps

These tips can help you to save money, save energy and reduce your carbon footprint in one go! And you will be making a difference to the environment. So what are you waiting for?

Lighting, laundry and lifts

Did you know that over £140 million is wasted each year by people leaving lights on in unused rooms. So next time you leave a room switch off the lights.

If you combine the use of an Energy Saving Recommended washing machine, with a modern detergent and wash your clothes at 30^oC you will save energy. You can earn extra green points if you remember to always wash a full load, you will use less energy than two half loads.

Why not car share by giving someone a lift? It's not just about getting to and from work, it applies to any journey where two or more people share any part of the trip. To find out more see the essential car sharing guide. Not only will you keep your carbon emissions down by car sharing but you'll save on fuel.

Precycle, recycle and swishing!

Precycling is thinking about the products you need and how they are packaged BEFORE you buy. By doing this, you can prevent recycling even taking place. Sounds complicated but it's easy, here are a few examples:

taking your own carrier bags to the supermarket will prevent you having to recycle additional bags in the future
use less disposable items such as a hankie instead of a tissue and napkins instead of paper towels
think about buying long life products like batteries and bulbs - you'll need to replace them less often

Doing the above will save money, save landfill and save energy because you will be consuming less. It all helps towards reducing your carbon footprint.

Recycling - nearly two thirds of the rubbish from your household can be recycled. Recycling saves energy and reduces the need for landfill. Making a few simple changes today can also reduce your carbon footprint.

your local council can provide you with a recycling box or bag. Keep this next to your main bin to remind you to drop the recyclable items in there
if you have unwanted clothes take them to a charity shop or drop them off in a clothes bank. You could even get rid of them by having a swishing party (see below).
old gadgets like mobile phones could be given a new lease of life. Some companies will now pay to take these off your hands (make sure you remove the SIM card before sending it off).

Swishing (or clothes swapping) - for the glamorous among you why not hold a swishing party. The rules are each person brings a clean unwanted item of clothing plus one accessory. Why not up your greenie points by car sharing with a friend.

More tips

The tips above are a good start. They are things that you can do today that will have an immediate impact, both on your wallet and the environment. And most of all they won't cost a thing. You can read more energy saving tips on the Baxi site.