Believe it or not, going green is not all about attending marches and tying yourself to tree. It’s about taking basic steps to protect the environment – so why not play your part in looking after the planet?
Here are four green initiatives to get you started:
Keep your boiler well-maintained
With winter rapidly approaching, it’s a good idea to have maintenance work carried out on your boiler. A Gas Safe register approved engineer will carry out a thorough service and will make repairs – before the cold spell hits. Not only will this keep you warm and toasty, but it’ll ensure you are not using more energy than you need to. It’s also worth taking out boiler cover with a company like HomeServe, as you will have easy access to heating engineers.
Snuggle under a duvet
If it’s a little chilly outside, there’s no need to crank your heating up to the highest temperature possible. Instead, put on a few extra layers of clothes, prepare a hot water bottle and snuggle under a duvet. This will keep your heating bills down and help reduce your carbon footprint. Raising the temperature by just a few degrees can send your costs through the roof, so think carefully before turning your room into a sauna.
Turn off your computers
According to Southwark Council, a single computer and monitor left on 24 hours a day will cost over £50 in energy a year. This is a lot of money, so always turn your electrical items off at the socket – and don’t just leave them on standby. Worried you’ll forget to do this? Then buy a multi-socket cable extension and turn all your gadgets and gizmos off in one go. If you do the same at work and you’ll help to protect the environment in your own little way.
Fix all leaking taps
Are your taps continuously drip, drip, dripping? If so, you could be wasting hundreds of litres of water without even realising. To fix the problem, unscrew the nut on the tap (keeping a tight grip of the spout) and check the condition of the washer. Replace it if necessary and see if this solves the problem. If it doesn’t, call in a plumber and take out plumbing and drainage insurance for future peace of mind
A few simple changes can make a small difference, so start saving energy today!
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Dan Whiteside: Business entrepreneur & money saving expert. Blogging in many niches since 2004.
