Where we live
The Issue
Britain is Europe’s worst energy waster, with bad habits such as leaving appliances on standby set to cost households £11bn by 2010
Space heating, hot water, and appliances in our home make up 10% of our carbon emissions .
Household heating is responsible for about 60% of domestic energy use – that’s more than 140 million tones of carbon dioxide each year.
The Solution
Energy Efficiency is presently by far the most cost effective way of making carbon savings, and it has the double advantage of allowing dramatic financial savings.
Switch to energy saving light bulbs. They last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs, and each bulb you fit could save up to £100 on electricity over the bulb’s lifetime.
Stop using standby mode on the TV and other electrical equipment and turn them off when you are not using them,
Switch off lights off in empty rooms, close windows when the heating is on and in the winter turn down the thermostat (minimum 18°C) and buy a jumper (from a charity shop).
Minimise the use of your electric clothes dryer machine – use a washing line.
Switch to a green energy supplier. We can now all choose who supplies our electricity, so you can actually choose to have your home or business supplied by clean energy. Switching takes about five minutes.
You can install draught proofing your self. Stop draughts by filling gaps with newspaper, beading or sealant. Be careful not to seal air vents in rooms with heating appliances which require room ventilation.
Fit a hot water jacket that’s at least 75mm (3″) thick and you could save around £20 a year.
Save up to a third on your heating bills with a high efficiency condensing boiler.
Around 33% of the heat lost in an uninsulated house is through the walls. You could save up to £160 on energy bills each year by insulating your wall cavities. It also creates an even temperature in your home. If we all filled our wall cavities, we’d save over £960 million of energy a year.
Loft insulation can save you between £180 and £220 a year.
Double glazing cuts heat loss through windows by 50% and could cut your heating bill by £80 to £100 a year.
Choose an A rated product next time you buy electrical equipment like a fridge or washing machine. Choosing one that is energy efficient saves on water and electricity.
Get solar water heating installed. It can save you money using free energy from the sun to heat your water and it can add value to your property.
Renewable energy technologies like solar panels and wind turbines are becoming increasingly popular. These are effective alternatives to fossil fuels and will help you to meet your own energy requirements and reduce your home’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Start a community-based energy project. Through co-operative community partnerships, new technologies for sustainable energy can be more readily accepted . For example, you could start a solar club.
What you can do
South West London Energy Advice Centre
0800 512012 or 020 8683 6655
swlo@eeac.net
Coldbusters Energy Efficiency grants
0800 358 6668Energysmart - a not-for-profit scheme to improved energy efficiency in the home. 0845 230 3320 http://www.energy-smart.org.uk/householder_default.aspWarm Front energy efficiency grants
0800 316 2814
The Green Energy Centre has been established to help everybody make use of renewable energy technologies in order to reduce the environmental impact of energy use. 020 8683 6683
http://www.greenenergycentre.org.uk/households.asp
Energy saving lightbulbs are available in most supermarkets, hardware shops and DIY centres.
Green Energy tariffs:
Ecotricity - 01453 756111, Good Energy - 01249
766090) and Green Energy - 0845 456 9550 are all Best
Buys according to the Ethical Consumer:
http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/magazine/buyers/electricity.pdf
25 Top Energy tips - http://www.merton.gov.uk/energy#25_top_tips
Find energy saving products: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy_saving_products/
www.energyrating.gov.au/
Solar Water Heating
www.ecolocal.org.uk/solarHeating/default.htm
Generate your own energy
www.lowcarbonbuildings.com/generate_your_own_energy
Community Based Energy Support
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/cafe/
