Sustainable Home

Sustainable Home pages:

It has been well documented that much of the carbon emissions which enter the atmosphere are from the actions we take in our daily lives. In particular our homes have become one of the worst contributors to the rising emissions. Many individuals believe that alone they will not make a difference however, there are now many hundreds of thousands of people across the UK taking steps to protect the future of the planet.

It may sound dramatic but the threat to life as we currently know it is real. Fuel prices are at an all time high and energy companies are continually increasing rates. The government is set with a task to source 15% of all energy from renewable sources by 2016 but without action from each of us individually to reduce overall energy demands, the target is going to be a very hard one to meet.

There are some simple steps every home owner can take to make a difference, to stay warm, save energy and pay less. Below are some of the easiest actions to implement to have a more sustainable home and lifestyle:

At home: (little or no cost)

• Use energy saving bulbs
• Only have the heating on when people are at home
• Switch all lights of when not in the room
• Only boil enough water for your needs
• Grow your own vegetables and fruit
• Compost your waste
• Collect rainwater to re-use in the garden or for washing the car
• Eliminate all your draughts
• Use thermal curtain lining
• Shower for 3 minutes or less
• Turn off all your standby appliances
• Remove plugs and switch off all unused sockets
• Turn down your thermostat depending on your health needs
• Reduce the temperature of your water
• Recycle and re-use everything you can

Going Green: (more investment)

• Add more to your loft insulation
• Ensure you have cavity wall insulation
• Check your front and back doors for double or triple glazing
• When you replace windows, use the best that are available
• Install solar heating
• Generate photovoltaic electricity
• Convert to a wood burner instead of your gas fire
• Consider ground source or air source heating with an underfloor system

Travelling:

• Walk everywhere you can
• Share car journeys with other people
• Take public transport
• Ride your bike

Even if you undertake to adopt three or four of the above you will help reduce carbon emissions and make your home a much more sustainable environment in which to live.

Talk to us today on 0800 988 2881 and find out what you can do to create a sustainable home.