Energy
1. Turn off standby on appliances or even better uplug them
2. Fill your kettle only with as much water as you need
3. Wash clothes/dishes on a full load, and use the economy programme when you can
4. Wash clothes at 30C, and use a short wash where possible
5. Turn off lights when you leave a room or dont turn them on during the day.
6. Dry your clothes on hangers and reduce the time and energy you spend ironing . Or hang dry polyester items or lightweight items.
7. Use a washing line, not an electric drier. Use a colapsable.
8. Plan your ironing sessions so that the clothes that need a lower temperature are done first - then you don’t have to keep heating and re-heating the iron
9. Turn off the dishwasher before it has completed its drying cycle – the dishes will dry in the heat inside or turn off heat choice.
10. Don’t leave appliances such as mobiles on charge once the battery is full
11. Defrost your fridge regularly to keep it running efficiently
12. Clean the back of fridges regularly to keep them running efficiently, and also check door seals are working properly
13. Keep your room thermostat no more than 21C and your water no more than 60C
14. Programme your heating to come on half an hour later or go off half an hour earlier. Better yet, turn off when your not home.
15. Keep your windowsills clear to maximise natural light but close your curtains at dusk to keep the heat in
Cooking
16. Cut vegetables into small pieces so they will cook faster
17. Take bulky food out of the fridge an hour before cooking so it can reach room temperature first
18. Cook with pan lids on
19. Boil cooking water in a kettle first
20. Use glass or ceramic dishes rather than metal as they shorten cooking time
21. Match your pot sizes to your hob rings, and keep the flame under the pan rather than going up its sides
22. Keep the oven door window clean so you don’t need to open the door, letting heat escape when checking on food. Better yet when your done using your oven, turn it off and leave open a tid bit to let the heat into the room.
23. Batch cook and freeze so you only have to reheat food rather than cooking a whole meal again
24. Use a toaster rather than a grill to make toast
25. Keep your fridge and freezer full to maximise their efficiency
26. Let chilled food come to room temperature before putting in the oven to cut cooking time
Waste
27. Find out from your local council exactly what can and can’t be recycled locally
28. Compost leftover fruit and vegetable peelings. Use plastic trash bin, drill holes in it everywhere, and keep a lid on it. Bugs can get in, it can compost and you can keep it out of site.
29. Take reusable bags to the shops. try www.reusablebags.com for super cheap bags. or use what you have around the house. library book bag or even a back pack.
30. Make a meal plan to reduce food waste
31. Donate old clothes, books, CDs, DVDs and household linen to charity
32. Reuse aluminium foil for sandwiches etc. Better yet stop using it all together.
33. Check use-by and sell-by dates of food to avoid waste
34. Make a shopping list so you don’t over-buy
35. If you’re preparing a packed lunch take reusable containers for sandwiches
Water
36. Take a (non-power) shower, not a bath, to save both water and energy
37. Invest in a water butt to make the most of free rainwater
38. Turn off taps while you’re brushing your teeth to save water
39. Fill an old plastic milk or fizzy drink bottle with water and place in your toilet cistern – the heavy weight displaces the water meaning you’ll use far less each time you flush
40. Use warm-up water for washing, watering plants or cleaning
41. Wash your car with a bucket and sponge rather than a hose
42. Cut back on water use by filling a large jug with water and keeping it in the fridge so you have chilled water all day instead of allowing the tap to run each time
43. Use leftover boiling water in the kettle to sluice out sinks, rather than bleach, or keep it for next time in a thermos flask
44. If you wash up by hand, use a bowl rather than leave the tap running, and rinse in a batch at the end
Re-using
45. Stuff old tights with rags to use as draught excluders
46. Don’t throw away old T-shirts etc - use them as cleaning cloths instead
47. Use nylon mesh packaging eg from satsumas as plastic scouring pads
48. Use cardboard egg cartons to make seed starter trays
49. Reuse yoghurt pots, shoe boxes and other packaging as pen/peg holders, food containers etc
50. Reuse old newspaper to clean your windows for some extra sparkle
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