Energy efficient home and office

What can you do?

• Change every light bulb to an energy saving light bulb - switching to low energy light bulbs could cut lighting energy consumption by 38% according to Guardian Unlimited.
• Turn off unnecessary appliances at night. Anything that has a light on is using energy - turn them off. Stand by buttons are to be outlawed, according to the 2006 energy review - but in the meantime - if you have standby buttons - don't use them! By turning off your computer at night you save 1,500 lbs of carbon emissions a year.
• Turn off unnecessary appliances - by turning of lights when you are not in a room you could save up to 19% on your energy bills. Unplugging your phone charger could save up to 95% of the energy it consumes.
• Turn off unecessary appliances - have we already said that?
• Put only as much water in the kettle as you are going to use
• Use recycled paper - recycled paper uses 60% of the energy required to make virgin paper - see how this company (9th Aug entry) made huge carbon savings just by switching to recycled.
• Use two sides of every sheet of paper (and don't just write more!)
• Use less staples - if everyone used just one less staple a day it would save 120 tonnes of steel a year!
• Buy energy efficient appliances
• Insulate your loft to recommended standards
• Insulate cavity walls if you have them
• Check out draughts from doors, windows and through floors - be sure you have enough ventilation