Living greener is something I feel we all would like to do but sometimes are unsure how to do it and the effect it will have on our day to day lives.
Lighting
- Switch your lightbulbs to energy saving lightbulbs – not only will they save you energy (and in turn lower utility bills) but money in the cost of replacing as an energy saving lightbulb will last longer than an ordinary lightbulb.
- Switching off unnecessary lights – sounds simple but just take a look around your house and I’m sure you will find at least one light on that you could switch off.
Kitchen
- Only filling the kettle with the amount of water you need – Why waste energy, money and time waiting for a full kettle of water to boil when you only need enough hot water for your favourite cuppa.
- Wash at 30 degrees – Our clothes do not get half as dirty as the did years ago so no need to do a boil wash, reducing the temperature saves on energy.
- Invest in a washing up bowl – Sounds simple but how many of us are guilty of washing our dishes under a running tap? By using a washing up bowl you use both less water and energy.
Around the home
- Draughts – if you were sitting on the sofa and you could feel a draught from an open door you would get up and close it, however many homes have draughts coming in from letterboxes, skirting boards and under doors. Add a draught excluder to behind your letter box and to the bottom of old doors will help stop draughts coming in a heat escaping. Also try sealing the top of your skirting boards with silicone sealant.
- Turn off standby – It is all to easy to leave electrical items on standby but if you are not going to be using them for a few hours then switching off at the wall will save additional energy than leaving it ‘ready to go’.
Your actions can reduce your energy expenditure and costs, but suppliers can help too. E.ON wants to actively encourage consumers to save energy by reducing consumption. It might sound strange that a company wants to sell less of its product, but when more people are doing their bit to have a positive effect on the planet it’s refreshing to find a major corporation who thinks along the same lines. E.ON has launched a special online tool to help you work out how you could make savings and there is a wealth of energy saving information on their website for customers who manage their account online, to help you see how you use energy and where you could make positive changes.
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