Be Energy Efficient

Going green has never been easier. The costs involved are decreasing, the time and effort involved is also decreasing and the number of ways you can reduce your carbon footprint is increasing. There are two main areas where you can do this. One is to use more energy efficient products in your home and the other is to look for alternative sources of power.
Energy efficiency As individuals, we contribute 40% to the UK"s total greenhouse gas emissions. This includes our use of cars, electrical products and food waste. But by far the biggest personal contribution comes from heating - 60% of all our CO2 emissions come from boilers.
So if you switch to a new energy efficient boiler, you will produce 875g less CO2 than by using a regular one and this could save you around 170 a year on your heating bills. If you add heating controls, such as timers and thermostats, you could increase the saving to 275 and the country could save 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 a year.
Installing these new boilers has never been easier and cheaper thanks to British Gas" latest offer. If you buy a new or replacement boiler by 25 July you will save 852 off the cost of the boiler, servicing and installation. If you add the savings to your energy bill, you will save well over 1000 this year.
It"s also vital to make sure make sure you have the right insulation, as 50% off the heat in your home is lost through the walls and roof. British Gas estimates that on a standard 3-bed semi-detached house, you could save 365 annually. Plus if you install the correct insulation the government is offering a tax rebate of 125.
Energy companies are also offering a good selection of green tariffs. A good example is the Zero Carbon plan also from British Gas. It promises to make 100% of the gas and electricity you use carbon neutral. It does this by offsetting you gas usage, matching electricity consumption with that from renewable sources such as wind and water power and supporting investment into new renewable energy generation.
Alternative power sources You can save money whilst not contributing one gram of CO2 to the environment by switching to solar panels which can supply around 50% of your hot water.
We have 40% of Europe"s total wind energy here in the UK, so it makes sense to harness this power and use it to supply energy for our homes. Small turbines for personal use can produce enough energy to power the lights and electrical appliances in a standard-size home. So this means more free electricity and no carbon footprint. If you"re connected to the National Grid, you can even store this energy in batteries and then use it on low-wind days.

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