Greener living: a quick guide to what you can do

Lesson number 1

Tackling climate change will be one of the most important things this generation does, and everyone needs to get involved. Every day, more and more people are taking actions to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle other environmental problems. Here are some ideas about how you can help.

Where to start?

Throughout the Directgov environment and greener living section you will find practical ideas to help you make everything a bit greener, from your home to the contents of your shopping basket. But if you’re short on time, here are some ideas to choose from to get you started.
1. Save energy and water at home

Burning fossil fuels to heat our homes or produce electricity releases carbon emissions, which cause climate change. The energy you use at home is likely to be your biggest contribution to climate change. 80 per cent of it goes on heating and hot water, so this is a good place to look for savings.

Turn down your thermostatTurning your thermostat down by one degree could reduce carbon emissions and cut your fuel bills by up to 10 per cent.

Look for the labelsWhen buying products that use energy – anything from light bulbs to fridge-freezers – look for the Energy Saving Recommended label or European energy label rating of A or higher. The European energy label also tells you how much water appliances use, so you can choose a more efficient model.

Improve your insulationMore than half the heat lost in your home escapes through the walls and roof. Cavity wall insulation costs about £450, can take a couple of hours to install, and could save you £92 a year on fuel bills.

Install water efficient productsLow flush volume toilets, water efficient showerheads and aerating heads on washbasin taps help to reduce your water use significantly. Also, fixing dripping taps and fitting a ‘hippo’ in toilet cisterns are cheap ways of saving water. You can also collect rainwater in water butts and use it for watering your garden instead of a hose.