40 ways to green your life

Turning eco-friendly is the way forward, says Mark Prigg - from energy savings at home to sharing a car to go to work to taking a train rather than plane for holidays.

YOUR HOME

1 Get a free energy audit at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

2 Fit a condensing boiler — it could cut £100 off your fuel bill.

3 Turn your heating down to 20C and only use it when you need to — saving up to £110 a year.

4 Switch off appliances when you're not using them — this could cut eight per cent off your energy bills.

5 Install energy-efficient light bulbs
— they last up to 10 times longer and
save you money.

6 Make sure your loft is adequately insulated — it could save £110 off your heating bills, and you might even get a grant — visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

7 Fit brush or PVC seals on doors, letterboxes, keyholes and windows. Also draught-proof your windows (saving £10-£20 a year) and seal floorboards and skirting boards.

8 If you have a hot-water tank make sure it has an adequate insulating jacket — it could save £20 a year.

9 Save £90 on fuel bills by insulating your wall cavities.

10 Double glazing cuts heat loss through windows by 50 per cent and could cut your heating bill by around £90 a year.

11 Buy energy-efficient appliances — make sure they are A-rated, as these use less energy.

12 Don't boil a full kettle — it could save you £26 a year.

13 Air-dry clothes rather than tumble drying, and save up to £42 a year.

14 Fit energy-efficient radiators, as they can heat up your home faster.

15 Fitting a shower could mean you use less water than a bath, as long as you keep it under five minutes.

16 Always fill the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher or use a half-load or economy programme.

17 Fix leaky taps, and turn them off when brushing your teeth. Also
fit a water-saving device from
www. waterwise.org.uk in your
toilet cistern.

18 Recycle more of your waste — last
year we all saved, in total, the same amount of carbon as taking
five million cars off the road.

YOUR ENERGY

19 Switch to a renewable electricity tariff and buy energy from renewable sources.

20 Consider fitting solar water heaters and micro-wind generators. Visit www.energysavingtrust.org for information.

YOUR TRANSPORT

21 Drive at 70mph on the motorway — If everyone in the UK did this, it would reduce CO2 emissions by one million tonnes per year.

22 Learn to eco-drive — it could save you up to £120 a year. Avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking, use air-conditioning sparingly and remove roof racks, bike carriers and roof boxes when not in use. Also avoid short journeys — a cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel, and regularly check your tyre pressures — under-inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption by up to three per cent.

23 Join or start a car-sharing scheme. Check out www.carplus.org.uk.

24 Try walking to work — www.maps.google.co.uk can even help you plan your route to the office. It will save you money and even help you get fit.

25 Cycle more: for info on your local routes visit www.sustrans.org.

26 Buy a green car such as the G-Wiz, which produces no emissions.

YOUR TRAVEL

27 Choose a travel operator that offsets air travel.

28 If you are popping over the Channel, travel by Eurostar — it has a lower carbon footprint than flying.

29 Book with an environmentally conscious company such as www.responsibletravel.com, www.whalewatchazores.com or www.discoveryinitiatives.co.uk.

30 Leave your car at home and hop on the Heathrow or Gatwick Express. Both will also be substantially quicker than the car.

YOUR GARDEN

31 Buy a water butt, which could drastically reduce the amount of water you waste — and if you're on a water meter it might even save
you some money.

32 Use a watering can instead of a hosepipe.

33 Buy a composter to recycle organic garden and kitchen waste into a rich, nutritious compost that is ideal for retaining moisture in the garden.

YOUR INVESTMENTS

34 Invest your pension and Individual Savings Account (ISA) money in an ethical or green fund. For details visit www.eiris.org.

YOUR SHOPPING

35 Buy food grown locally — this cuts down on food air miles.

36 Use supermarket home delivery services — as one van delivers to several homes, it cuts down on numerous individual car journeys. Several supermarket chains also now only use electric or bio-fuel vehicles for deliveries.

37 Use green or natural alternatives to cleaning products. Most commercial products tend to use harmful chemicals which can damage the environment long after they are washed away. Natural chemicals
such as vinegar can often work just
as well.

38 Invest in a bag for life.

39 Waste less — One-third of all the food we buy ends up in the bin — and half of this is edible food.

... and how to get in the green groove

40 This year sees one of the greenest music tours so far hitting Hyde Park. Jack Johnson will headline a concert on 2 July, and has pledged to make his tour the greenest in music history. To improve eco-awareness among his fans, Johnson has helped to set up a new interactive community, All At Once, online at jackjohnsonmusic.com and at www.allatonce.org, to provide information, tools and motivation to create change. And if you are planning any summer festivals, try to take the train or at least car share wherever possible.