|
21. THIRTY WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
'Faith without works is dead.'
James 2:17
So for those who want suggestions…
1.
Fit energy saving light bulbs.
Low energy bulbs consume around 80% less energy than
conventional bulbs. In addition they last up to ten times
longer. Energy saving bulbs are widely available and are
produced in many different shapes and sizes. Prices have also
dropped significantly in recent years making them much more cost
effective. Prioritize those lights which are left on for long
periods of time. Visit
www.est.org.uk.
2.
Turn off lights when leaving a room.
I know it’s obvious but it costs nothing.
3.
Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need.
What is the point of heating water that will not be used?
4.
Do not leave equipment on standby.
Turn off equipment at the wall or unplug it when it is not being
used. It is estimated that 10% of domestic electricity
consumption is for items left on standby. A television on
standby will use 80% of the power it uses when fully on. Any
items of equipment that have separate mains transformers such as
mobile phone chargers, laptops, computer speakers, flat screen
monitors etc are on all the time unless they are turned off at
the wall socket or unplugged. In addition equipment that has a
touch on/off switch is permanently on unless it is switched off
at the wall or unplugged. For computer equipment where it is
not practical to unplug equipment then use an energy saving
mains distribution socket. Visit
www.oneclickpower.com
5.
Recycle.
Rubbish dumped in landfill creates methane which is another
potent contributor to global warming. In addition significantly
less energy is required to recycle old items than is required to
manufacture new items from ‘virgin’ materials. Aluminium is an
excellent example of this; it takes 80% less energy to recycle
an old can than it does to create a new can in the first place.
6.
Insulate properly.
Keep that expensive heat in! Ensure that the roof is
insulated. Fit cavity wall insulation if suitable. Insulate
pipework. Draught proof all doors and windows.
7.
Fit reflective aluminium foil behind radiators
to reflect heat back into the room.
8.
Replace an old inefficient gas boiler with a modern condensing
boiler.
A new boiler can save up to 32% on fuel costs. New legislation
means that only the new condenser type boilers can now be
installed.
9.
When purchasing new domestic appliances ensure that you buy the
most energy efficient models.
All domestic appliances now carry labels giving information
about their energy efficiency. Choose an ‘A’,’AA’, or ‘AAA’
rated model.
10.
Try to reduce the use of the car.
Walk, bike or use public transport where possible. When
purchasing a car choose the most fuel-efficient model
available. Anticipate the road ahead to avoid excessive braking
or fast acceleration.
11.
Avoid flying if at all possible.
CO2 emissions from air transport are the fastest growing source
of global warming and the effect from air transport is
particularly severe since the pollution is deposited directly
into the upper atmosphere. If you have to travel by air then
offset the emissions using a carbon offset scheme. Visit
www.futureforests.com
12.
Buy locally produced food..
Fresh vegetables with a short shelf life are produced in many
countries and then air freighted to us in order that we can
enjoy out of season produce.
13.
Join an organic box scheme.
Organic food costs more but its production does not involve the
use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers. It is sustainable
and also tastes better.
14.
Buy fairly traded products.
Fair trade suppliers ensure that a guaranteed fair price is paid
to producers in the developing world. Visit
www.fairtrade.org.uk
.
15.
Turn the heating down by 1 degree.
You will not notice much difference but will save fuel. Ensure
that the timer is set correctly so that you are not heating an
empty house when you are out. Turning the heating down by 1
degree can save up to 10% of the fuel.
16.
Use environmentally friendly household cleaners.
Many household cleaning products use chemicals that damage the
environment. Change to ones produced using natural ingredients,
these are more gentle on the environment and human health.
Ecover produce a large range of common products which are widely
available. Visit
www.ecover.com.
17.
Fit an energy saving device to your fridge and/or freezer.
This small plug in device will save energy without affecting the
performance at all. Log on to the website to check
compatibility with your fridge/freezer. Visit
www.savawatt.com
(01789 490340).
18.
Change your electricity to a ‘green energy’ supplier.
These companies only supply electricity which is generated from
renewable sources. Visit
www.good-energy.co.uk
or
www.greenenergy.uk.com
19.
Reduce water use. Take showers rather than baths.
Fit a water saving device in the toilet cistern (these are
available free from most local water companies) or use a brick
or plastic bottle full of water. Repair dripping taps.
20.
Turn the tap off when cleaning your teeth.
This can save up to 9 litres of water a minute.
21.
Consider solar water heating.
Panels on the roof will trap the heat from the sun and will
supply all the hot water needed in an average home for 6 months
of the year. During the winter they can reduce gas consumption
by a third. Visit
www.cat.org.uk or
www.solartradeassociation.org.uk
22.
Say ‘no’ when offered a plastic carrier bag.
Invest in a cloth or string bag to take with you when you go
shopping or reuse existing plastic bags.
23.
Write to your MP.
Pressurize them to do more to reduce carbon emissions.
Politicians need to know that people care about these issues.
24.
Plant a tree.
Trees are nature’s way of soaking up carbon dioxide. A native
species will also help British wildlife.
25.
Take holidays in the UK.
If the government’s target to reduce CO2 emissions was spread
equally across the population as a personal carbon allowance
then one flight to Greece would swallow up your complete annual
allowance.
26.
Write on both sides of a piece of paper.
Just like we have with this one! You will get through half the
number of trees.
27.
Keep lids on saucepans when cooking.
More energy is used in bringing water to the boil than in
cooking your veg'. Keeping lids on reduces the amount of energy
needed to cook.
28.
Start a compost bin.
Or a wormery if you have limited space. Save and compost
kitchen vegetable scraps. Many gardening books have advise and
plans of how to make your own compost bin.
29.
Buy wood products bearing the FSC mark.
The FSC (forest stewardship council) ensures that the timber
comes from a sustainably managed forest. Visit
www.fsc.org.
30.
Don’t use disposable plastic beakers.
Take a mug to work.
'The earth is the Lords and everything in it,
the world and all who live in it.'
Psalm 24:1 |
