Saving Energy Going Green Renewable Energy Eco Store

Welcome to the Saving Energy Going Green Guide. The UK has a new Government and the USA has a new Administration too, how they introduce new polocies and their Scientists look for technology for answers, we as individuals must recognise our own responsibility in tackling environmental destruction, global warming and the impact our Carbon Footprint has on our Planet. The worldwide recession makes living in this time difficult and it is this that we need to create a greater incentive for ourselves more than ever to Go Green.

Home and Gardens

Home and garden

Saving Water - Let’s Make Saving Water a Habit...

The average Brit uses 150 litres of treated Energy Intensive Water every day. This Water is drinkable and processed and filtered and a quarter of this is used just to flush the toilet alone. Taking this staple water supply for granted is easy to do but we must not as the survival of our wetland eco system.

We can start Saving Water by

Using Grey-water

Wastewater other than from your Toilet is called Grey- water. A Grey-water Recycling system collects the water you would normally let flow down the drain and stores it in a Tank. This means that the waste water from your shower, sink or bath gets treated biologically or is filtered before being stored in the Tank. This Recycled water can then be used to water your garden and flush your Toilet, saving you a huge proportion of water use. Click HERE to see an installer.

Harvesting your Rainwater

The process of collecting water from your drains is called Rainwater Harvesting. Click HERE to see an installer. How it Works – Rainwater is collected from your roofs drainage system.

Fitting Water Meters

Saving Water means Saving Energy which means Saving Money. The average annual Water bill rose nearly 20% since 2002.This means that an average bill of £263 in 2002 now has risen to £312 in 2008. Having a Water meter fitted allows the homeowner to monitor their Water consumption and as they only pay for the water they use, they use less and this reduces the cost. A Water meter on can save the average household 5% to 15% in reduced water use. Click HERE to see an installer.

Saving Water tips...

Dripping Taps

A Dripping Tap can waste over 5,000 litres of Water a year and it is usually fixed by replacing the washer. Changing the washer should be easy for most DIYers, check your DIY manual or check how to online. If you are in any doubt Call in the Plumber, Click HERE to see a Plumber.

Washing Food

Wash Fruit and Vegetables in the sink with the plug in, or better still use a bowl big enough to fit everything in. This stops the tap from running whilst you wash your fruit and veg and the water you have left over can be used to water your plants.

Showers

Having a bath uses about 80 litres of water compared to only 35 litres used for a 5 minute shower. A Power shower uses considerably more water than a bath in less than five minutes.

Water Butts

Water Butts collect rainwater to water your plants.

Washing your car

Avoid using the garden hose to wash your car and use a bucket instead. A bucket uses just 8 litres of water compared to over 200 litres used by the hosepipe.

Water pipes

Lag water pipes and external taps before winter as a burst water pipe can cause serious damage. Click HERE to find out more on pipe and Tap insulation.

Toilet

Have a low flush toilet installed as these offer you a choice of long or short flush. Check out HERE for a selection of water saving products HERE.

Water

Avoid running the tap for long periods to get to the cold water, just pop a jug or refill a bottle and keep it in the fridge instead

Taps

Turn the tap off whilst brushing your teeth twice a day as this act saves up to 5 litres of water a minute. Think of how many millions of litres of water a day we could save in England and Wales.

Kettles

Make sure you do not overfill the kettle and boil only what you need. Buy an Eco kettle HERE

Water Meter

Ask your Water provider to install a Water meter for you. Click HERE for more details ( links to Fitting Water Meters) above.

Dishwashers and Washing Machines

Fill them up correctly before you use them. Read the manufactures recommendations for advice and help. Half load programmes actually use more than half the energy and water than a full load.

Saving Water Good buys-

Shower Timer

As the name says, it times your showering and prompts you to spend less time in the shower, click HERE to purchase.

Water Hippo

Water Hippos conserve water and are placed in the cistern, click HERE to purchase

Aerated Showerheads

Mixing air with water these devices maintain normal shower pressure yet use less water in the process, click HERE to purchase.

Recycling and Waste

Reuse it

Let's make reusing Stuff a Habit...

We are always going to produce waste no matter how we reduce our use of things. Rubbish to someone may be very valuable to someone else and at Saving Energy.com we have our own Saving Energy Classifieds which is a FREE way to advertise your unwanted products for somebody else to use instead. Click HERE to view our Classifieds Section

Recycle it

Let's make

By Recycling more we reduce content in Landfill sites.

Reduce it

Let's...

Having a wasteful lifestyle is common in the West as we purchase new products and dispose of the not so old. By reducing our waste we are affecting directly climate change and this takes pressure off the Worlds already stretched resources.

Classifieds Section

Add your item you would like to see somebody else use instead.

'Don't Bin it, Re-use it...'

Darren says...

Card and Paper makes up to 20% of the average Households waste and half of this is made up of magazines and Newspapers with an average weight of 4kg. All of which could easily be Recycled.

Darren Says... You can limit waste by doing any of the following

Buy a bag for Life; don't ask for plastic bags when shopping

Take a shopping list with you so you only get what you need

Reduce unwanted Junk mail sent to you by registering with the Mail Preference Service on 0845 703 4599 or www.mpsonline.org.uk

Refills are better as they cut down on packaging

Every 2 hours the UK creates enough rubbish to overfill the Albert Hall and as this rubbish decays it releases a toxic fluid called Leachate. This may leak then contaminates the land and even the water supply. Incinerators that will deal with over 25% of all household waste are planned in England by 2020 as strict EU directives are required to reduce reliance on landfill. Waste sent to landfill sites contain the following plastics

LDPE - Low Density Polyethylene

Bin liners and carrier bags

HDPE - High Density Polyethylene

Milk bottles and washing up liquid bottles

PETE - Polyethylene terephthalate

Drink bottles and Oven ready meal trays

PP - Polypropylene

Butter and Margarine tubs and Microwavable meal trays

PS - Polystyrene

Meat and Fish trays and Yoghurt pots

PVC - Polyvinyl chloride

Cling Film, Food trays and mineral water bottles

What can I recycle?

Aerosol Cans

Batteries

Books

Bricks

Cardboard

Carpets

Carrier Bags

Clothing

Computers

DVD's

Cooking Oil

Drinks Cartons

Drinks Cans

Engine Oil

Envelopes

Food

Furniture

Garden Waste

Glass

Greetings Cards

Keys

Light Bulbs

Magazines

Newspapers

Mobile Phones

Paint

Plasterboard

Plastic Bottles

Printer Cartridges

Shoes

Shredded Paper

Spectacles

TV's and Monitors

Textiles

Tin Foil

Toys

Contact your Local Council for more advice

Signs Explained found on the side of products

These signs mean a product can be recycled

This sign shows how much of a product is made from Recycled materials

This sign indicates that the supplier of the product has contributed financially to the cost of recovery and recycling of packaging waste.

This sign shows that the product has been produced

What is WEEE?

One of the fastest growing waste types in Europe today is Electronic and Electrical Equipment. The UK's households throw away nearly 1 million tonnes of it each year and by keeping it separate from other types of rubbish it can have its hazardous substances removed, then be treated and recycled. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/waste/32084.aspx

Composting.

Use it on all areas of your flowerbeds and vegetable patches, even in your pot plants and hanging baskets.

Three easy steps

Buy a composting Bin from your local Gardening Centre, click HERE, or contact your local council as they may supply Bins at a reduced rate. Build your own too.

Add the following Cardboard, Egg shells, Grass cuttings, Vegetable cut offs and Vegetable plants, Tea bags...

Don't put in food, meat, poorly plants, weeds, metal or glass

Place the Composter on a level well drained and sunny place if you can and being on soil helps in the insects and microbes to assist in breaking down the waste, this helps in aeration and drainage too.. If you have to put your composter on concrete or similar start it off with a layer of soil in the bottom.

Ready in about 6 months it should look dark brown and feel soil like. Check the composts balance, if it's too dry add plant material, grass cuttings vegetable peelings etc and if it's too wet add paper twigs, dry leaves egg boxes sawdust etc

·Family and Kids

Baby Care

Contacts

Holidays

School

Gadgets

Toys

Sponsors

·Food and Drink

Animals

Buying Local

Contacts

Drinks

Fine Foods

Focus on Foods

Grow it Yourself

In Season

Gadgets

Organic

Sponsors

·Office and Work

Waste at Work

In the Office

Gadgets

Sponsors

·Motoring and Transport

Air

Cars

Go Green

Safety

Cycling

Eco

Public Transport

Sponsors

·Beauty and Fashion

Clothing

Cosmetics and Toiletries

Jewellery

Sponsors

Saving Energy

Heat and Power

Is your Home Energy Efficient?

Strict building regulations must be met to ensure any home built in the UK is designed and made to high standards of construction and energy conservation. Older homes therefore lose more heat and therefore energy due to poor insulation and outdated construction materials and methods.

Energy Performance Certificate

An Energy Performance Certificate EPC is now a legal requirement for a person who would like to sell their home. The EPC is a document produced by a qualified assessor (For a list of assessors where you live please click HERE) who will undertake an energy assessment of your home. http://www.freeepc.baysoft.co.uk/

The EPC ranks how energy efficient your home is as well as the environmental impact of the building on an AtoG scale with A being the best and G the worst. An EPC also provides a list of recommendations for improvements on the actual property which will also be listed in order of cost effectiveness. These improvements range from installing Solar panels (HERE to Purchase Solar Panels) to changing all you lightulbs for Energy efficient ones (HERE to purchase Energy efficient Bulbs)

NEED AN IMAGE OF A HOUSE AS PAGE 30-31 SHOWS?

Let’s make saving energy a habit

If you’re chilly put more clothes on

Turn down the thermostat by only 1 DegC saves about £40 per year in heating bills.

Use the programmer on your Central Heating system instead of leaving the heating on when theres no one home

Turn off radiators in unused rooms

Do not cover radiators with curtains or clothes that need drying.

Put pourri should be used instead of plug in air fresheners

Hemp, recycled paper and wool should be used as insulation materials as they use less energy to produce.

All figures are approximate

Hot water Tank Jacket

Annual Saving -

DIY Cost -

Payback -

CO2 saved annually

Appliances

Cleaning Products

Contacts

Garden

Gadgets

Furnishings

Heat

Power

Recycling

Waste

Sponsors

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