Save Energy
At work...
- Enable the power down features on your PC - Screen savers do not save energy;
- Switch off your PC monitor when you are not using it, for example when you go to meetings or for lunch - A monitor uses about two-thirds of a PCs total electricity. If left on overnight wastes the energy that would be used to make 800 A4 sheets of paper;
- Switch office equipment off at night. A photocopier left on overnight uses enough energy to make 5,300 photocopies;
- Switch off lights if you are leaving the room for longer than 15 minutes - it is a myth that it is cheaper to leave fluorescent lights on than to switch them off;
- Switch off lights when you go home - lighting an empty office overnight wastes enough energy to heat water for 1000 cups of coffee;
- Maximise the use of natural daylight and switch off lights when daylight is adequate - switching off a typical fluorescent light for one hour in each working day, 30 kg of carbon dioxide emissions is saved annually.
At home...
- Don't overfill the kettle for just one drink - heat the amount of water you really need;
- Use jug-type kettles - they have smaller elements and therefore need less water;
- Ensure the water completely covers the elements;
- Don't leave the fridge door open for longer than necessary;
- Defrost your fridge regularly - this will help it to run more efficiently, If it refrosts quickly, check that the door seals are working properly;
- Don't site the fridge close to the cooker or boiler - if this is unavoidable, leave a good gap between them;
- Turning the thermostat down by just 1°C can cut as much as 10% off your heating bills;
- Switch off your TV, video and Hi-Fi at the set. Standby can use as much as 10%-60% of the electricity that would be used by the device if it was switched on;
- Use low energy lamps wherever you can as they use less than a quarter of the electricity used by ordinary light bulbs and last 12 times longer!
- Dry your clothes on a clothes line - tumble driers use huge amounts of energy.