My Home

In the UK, emissions from residential properties account for 20% of all emissions from the UK. This is because our homes use large quantities of energy to allow us to keep warm, cook food and entertain ourselves.

Our homes typically use gas to keep warm and to cook, and electricity to power lighting and appliances. Homes with a poor ability to keep heat in waste huge quantities of energy which release emissions along the way. Similarly, inefficient appliances and lighting waste electricity too. Although it can be expensive to upgrade your home's insulation, there are still things we can do to reduce energy wastage. 

Heating

Heating is one of the largest sources of wasted energy in homes. By making a few changes we can reduce this waste and save money and emissions:
  • The most efficient way to use heating is to turn it on when needed, rather than leaving it on constantly at a lower temperature.
  • Turning your thermostat down by 1 degree can save you up to £100 per year!
  • Turning down radiators in rooms not in use can drastically reduce the amount of time you need the heating on.
  • Where possible, use a microwave instead of an oven for heating and cooking certain foods. For example, it is much more efficient in terms of both energy and money to cook a jacket potato in a microwave as opposed to an oven.
  • Bleed radiators when needed to ensure your heating system is efficient.
  • In addition to the above, you can also increase your homes draft proofing to keep rooms warm and consider looking into insulation measures.

Electricity

Reducing electricity waste is actually quite easy. Below are some of the steps you can take:
  • Ensure all bulbs in your home are LED
  • Turn off lights when not in use
  • Don't leave appliances like TVs on. Switch off at the plug if you can
  • Only boil the water you need in the kettle
  • If you have an electric hob, use lids on pans to reduce the power needed to keep hot
  • Hang clothes out to dry or use a clothes hoarse instead of a tumble dryer

The key to reducing electricity use is to only power on things when you need them, and avoid using them if you don't need to.

Understanding Energy Usage

When we take about energy you will often hear terms like kilowatt hour (kWh) mentioned a lot. kWh are used to describe energy use over time and can be used for gas and electricity. When we say an appliance uses 1 kWh we are saying that to turn that appliance on, and leave it on for an hour, will require 1 kilowatt (Kw) of energy. As we are charged per kWh of energy we can work out how much any given appliance cost us. To do this, we need to look at how many watts (W) an appliance uses at any given time. We then divide that by 1000 (1000 watts in a kilowatt) and then multiply it by the number of hours we use it for. Finally, multiply that number by the amount you get charged by kWh. The wattage of an appliance can be found on the sticker on the back/bottom of the appliance. 

Water Saving

In the UK, 70% of our water supply comes from surface water, which means that the water we use in our daily lives is taken directly from freshwater sources in nature. Reducing your household water footprint is a great way to make an impact on the climate as an individual. Running taps wastes as much as 6 litres of water a minute.

Here are some tips to reduce water wastage:
  • Switch to showers instead of baths and try to keep your showers to 4 minutes or less where possible
  • Save the water you rinse your fruit and beg in and water your plants with it
  • Turn the tap off when you're brushing your teeth
  • Ensure your dishwasher/washing machine are full before using them
  • Install leak detectors so you know early when a water leak begins
  • Switch to water efficient appliances next time you upgrade them- this includes water-efficient washing machines, ultra-low flush toilets, low flush shower filters. These provide the same water pressure but use much less water.
  • Get a water butt and use that to water your plants
  • Have a dual flush toilet

Nature Friendly Gardens

Wildlife-friendly gardens are an essential aspect of our commitment to preserving and nurturing our local biodiversity. In fact, there are 15-24 million gardens across the UK, with the area totally more than all our National Nature Reserves! Wildlife-friendly gardens are designed to provide habitat for local wildlife, by incorporating native plants, water features and shelter options to attract birds, butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects which in turn fosters a thriving ecosystem right in our neighbourhoods.

It is estimated that 84% of all crops and 80% of wildflowers depend on insect pollination. All have seen a decline in the past century and over 40% of global insect species are now threatened with extinction over the next few decades. One-quarter of UK bird species are now on the red list. Wetland creatures, like frogs, toads, newts and water voles are under threat as the habitats they rely on are disappearing. We can help all of these issues in our gardens.

Ways to make your garden more nature friendly: