Energy saving is good for shrinking your carbon footprint and your energy bills. So whether you're looking to become an eco warrior or just keep your bills down, being energy efficient isn't as difficult as you might think.
You don't need to watch the smart meter every minute of the day, and it doesn't even need to be scary.
If you don't know where to start, we've got some pretty simple changes for you to consider...
Also, if you're energy saving because you're worried about your energy costs, check out Unlimited Energy.
1. Say goodbye to standby
- Keeping things on standby for an easy startup is obviously the convenient option, but they're secretly using power every minute.
- While the exact amount of energy wasted by vampire electronics is debated, the fact is that energy is still wasted. Get more detail over at our energy saving myths blog.
- 98% of people admit to leaving the TV on standby all the time, not realising that the red button on the remote doesn't actually switch your TV all the way off. That little red light in the corner means it's still on, and it's still using energy.
- Fortunately this is super easy to sort out. Just switch things off at the plug when you're done. Sorted.
2. Be cool(er)
- Tiny changes to your thermostat can make a big impact on your energy use.
- Turning your down just one degree can reduce your energy use by 10%!
- 50% of home energy comes from heating and hot water, according to the Energy Saving Trust, so this small change can make a big difference.
- The World Health Organisation recommends keeping things at at least 18°c to stay safe and healthy, so if you usually have things set higher, nudge it down by a degree to save a heap of energy.
3. Defeat dirty at thirty
- Set your washing machine to 30 degrees instead of 40.
- It's a super easy switch, your clothes will be just as clean but it's way more energy efficient.
- A 30 degree wash uses about 40% less energy than a 40 degree one, and most laundry detergents are now formulated to wash just as well at lower temperatures.
- Electricity usage really spikes any time you need to heat anything up, so hot washes and tumble dryers are huge culprits
- Most even perform just as well at 20 degrees too, if you fancy saving even more energy.
4. Embrace short shower power!
- The average 18-24 year old showers for 11.5 minutes, and uses 138 litres of water
- Your exact water usage amount depends on your water pressure, your shower head, and a few other factors.
- That's a lot of energy, but it's easy to reduce energy consumption in the shower.
How to save energy in the shower:
- Pick a song that's about 5 minutes
- Try to finish your shower before it's done.
- Check out this short shower playlist for some suggestions. It's a handy way to stop you losing track of time.
If you want to learn more, a whole blog about using less energy in the shower waiting for you at that nifty link just there.
If you want to be really nerdy about it, take a shower as usual and see how much is on your smart meter before and after. Then check the same thing the next day after a shorter shower. You might be surprised!
If you use a water meter, short showers will save you a heap of money on your water bills too!
5. Wrap everything up
You don't need to install cavity wall insulation to reduce cold spots and heat up your home.
- Keeping your home wrapped up warm will keep you warmer, prevent heat loss, and means you'll rely less on your central heating even in the coldest months.
- Keep your curtains open all day, and close them when it gets dark. Sunlight will naturally warm your home, and the curtains or blinds will trap this heat as the temperature drops overnight.
- The Energy Saving Trust have a whole guide on this to help you out.
- If you notice a draught, block it with a towel or blanket, or even a specialist draught excluder.
- You can grab a cheap draught excluder on ebay
- Or make a feature of it with this chunky cosy draught excluder (or knit your own!)
- Blocking chilly air means less time with the heating on and boosts your home's energy efficiency.
6. Light up with LEDs
- Replacing all of your light bulbs with LED bulbs may sound like a faff, but LEDs have better energy ratings, and use 90% less energy than other bulbs and last about 25 times longer.
- Incandescent light bulbs in particular are especially inefficient, so replace those ASAP!
- Not only do these bulbs use less energy every day, but replacing them less frequently means less energy used globally to manufacture and distribute new bulbs. And you need to shell out for new ones way less often. It's a win/win!
7. Keep it clean
- Cleaning takes up your energy, but clean appliances actually use less energy.
- A clean hob and oven takes less energy to heat than a dirty one, because there's no dirt to heat through.
- Fridges can also use less energyif you wrap your leftovers rather than just chucking them in before bed.(We've all done it, no judgement.)
- The moisture escaping from your food makes the air in the fridge more difficult to cool, using more energy than if you'd wrapped everything up.
- And if you fancy getting extra green points, buy some reusable wrap to use rather than throwing cling film away each time.
- Fridges use more energy if you store things on top of them.
- Most fridges need heat to escape to stay cool, and stacking things on top keeps the heat in and means it has to work harder to keep the temperature down.
- It's really common to stash cereal boxes or kitchen roll on the fridge, but find another spot if you can!
8. Get on it in the kitchen
Here's a mix of tricks to save energy in the kitchen:
- The Energy Saving Trust rates a slow cooker as one of the most energy efficient kitchen appliance, and it can be a game changer in winter months. Soup, chilli, curry...yes.
- When you've got a pan on the stove, keep the lid on. You'll keep more heat in and reduce cooking time, along with the amount of energy you use.
- You could use around 60% more energy cooking with the lid off! Not to mention waiting longer for your food...
9. Be careful with the kettle
- If everybody only boiled enough for the cup of tea they're making in the kettle, we'd save a lot of energy!
- CheckAppliance.co.uk have done a pretty nifty breakdown that shows you use about 3 times as much energy to fill the whole kettle rather than just a mug.
- Fill your mugs with water and tip them into the kettle first. It'll boil quicker (win!) and you'll use less energy! (Double win!)
10. Go to the dark side (when you leave the room...)
- Turning off the lights is one of the top 20 things we're most likely to forget to do, along with taking the bin out and closing the window.
- The Energy Saving Trust say that lights account for about 5% of the total energy used in a household. So, if you're not in the room or it's light outside, switch off!
11. Ice is nice (most of the time…)
- Every time you turn on the hot water tap, you use energy. You might even hear your heating system come on.
- Even if the water coming out of the tap doesn't get hot, you're still using energy. And you don't even need it!
- It's easy to fall into the habit of turning on the hot tap, but by only using it when it's necessary, and using cold water the rest of the time (rinsing your toothbrush, filling the kettle, etc.) you'll be saving energy without making much of a change at all.
That's it! 11 ways to use less energy. The smug feeling you'll get, knowing you're doing your bit will be worth the few extra seconds of effort each day.
Want to save even more energy?
We've got ya:
