From Guest Blogger James: A Green Home–Cutting Bills through Environmental Measures

Eco-friendliness and sustainability are the new watchwords and we all naturally want to play a part in protecting dwindling resources. There are many steps we can take at home to increase our green credentials and an additional benefit is that in the process we will also substantially reduce our utility bills.

Heating

One of the biggest expenses in a home is energy, whether gas or electricity. It is important therefore to get your boiler serviced regularly to ensure it is running efficiently. When the time comes that the boiler is broken or unsafe you should move to a model which is more energy efficient. For example, a condensing boiler can be up to 20% more efficient, a considerable saving when it is heating both your house and your water.

Insulation

There is little point in heating your house efficiently if all that nice warm air is disappearing through the walls and windows. If you don’t have it in place already, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and double glazing on your windows are a sound investment. The government is so keen to promote eco-friendly homes they run various schemes which allow you to claim back some of the costs of these upgrades, so it is worth investigating if this will work for you.

Energy

If you are uncomfortable about how much you are spending and the source of your energy you may want to switch provider. When you are doing a comparison on tariffs also take into consideration how much each energy each company gets from renewable sources.

Alternatively, if you want to generate your own energy, solar panels are the natural choice and they have soared in popularity over recent years. Not only do home owners find solar panels generate enough energy for their own needs but they can also get paid for returning energy to the National Grid.

Electricity

Apart from lowering the cost of your energy tariff you also want to try to lower your usage. The best ways to go about this are to:

· Monitor your consumption by using an energy monitor. Setting goals to lower your usage can be a big motivator for the whole family

· Boiling the kettle, especially if you overfill it, can use considerable amounts of electricity. So either buy an eco-friendly model or only boil the amount of water you need

· Make sure, as appliances wear out such as washing machines and fridges, you replace them with energy efficient models

· Lower your thermostat in rooms even by a couple of degrees and check your water temperature isn’t set too high

· Don’t leave appliances in standby, rather turn them off at the wall

· Replace light bulbs with energy efficient models and don’t leave lights on unnecessarily

Water

Water is another natural resource and you can go green while making substantial savings on your water bill. Swap your shower head for an eco-friendly model; fix any dripping taps; check for water leaks; and either install a dual flush toilet or add a cistern replacement device, which can save up to a litre of water on every flush.

Waste

Cut down on the amount of waste you produce by reducing the packaging you buy. In the supermarket opt for the apples you can put in a paper bag rather than purchasing the ones that are triple wrapped.

All your waste should be sorted and everything possible recycled including: plastics; glass; aluminium; paper; tin; and food scraps can go to your garden compost heap where you also add the grass clippings.

If you have larger items, don’t send them to landfill, either sell them, send them to charity shops or offer them up for free on sites such as Freegle and Freecycle. These are also good places for you to find items of furniture you can upcycle for your own use.

Garden

Finally, use your garden as a green resource. We have already mentioned creating a compost heap but you can also grow some of your own food. If you don’t have green fingers, start small with some herbs or salad vegetables which are relatively easy to grow and then over time get more adventurous. Not only will you be producing this food for pennies but you will also be lowering its carbon footprint as it hasn’t had to be shipped for miles to reach your plate.