With the Big Energy Saving Week set to take place between 20-24th October 2014, the energy saving trust are calling upon people to think more carefully about their energy consumption. So if you want to improve your bank balance and your carbon footprint why not pledge to make five simple changes during this five-day event and beyond? These could include:
Turning down your thermostat by one degree
Whether you live in a pokey flat or a large country mansion, you could do your bit for the environment by turning your central heating down by just one degree. Not only will you save energy but you could also save around £75 and 310kg carbon dioxide per year – now that’s worth doing, right? You could even go the extra mile and lower your thermostat by five degrees in a bid to reduce your monthly outgoings even further.
Setting a timer and taking a five minute shower
If you love whiling the time away underneath a hot shower, the thought of having a five minute wash might seem crazy – after all, how could you ever get clean in that time? Well, believe it or not you can achieve a lot in 300 seconds and if you set your mind to it could save a lot of hot water which in turn will bring your bills down dramatically. If baths are more your things, keep the water shallow and try to take just one a day.
Turning off anything that glows
There are many easy ways to go green and save energy but turning off anything on standby has to be one of the simplest. You can usually tell if a device is still using power by an LED light which continues to glow even if you think you’ve powered down. This can waste an incredible amount of electricity so switch anything you can off at the wall and even pull the plugs if you want to be sure you’ve been thorough.
Saving energy in the kitchen
If you’re looking to save energy in the kitchen there are plenty of things you can do from only switching the dishwasher on when it’s completely full to turning your washing machine down to 30 degrees. Using a bowl of washing up water instead of leaving the tap running will also help and filling up the kettle with what you need will save excess water being boiled each time. What’s more, try not to defrost food in the microwave and only put the oven on once a day as it consumes a lot of power.
Finding the best energy provider and deal
Are you getting the best energy deal around? If you’re not sure always do your research and find a provider or package that suits your needs. Switching energy providers could save you a fortune but it’s also worth talking to your current supplier as they might be able to offer you a price reduction or a more suitable deal. Staying on the ball and comparing and contrasting companies is one of the only ways to ensure you’re not being ripped off.
With the Big Energy Saving Week looming, now’s the perfect time to write down your energy saving goals and to put them in motion.
