SAVE ENERGY AND SAVE MONEY THIS WINTER!
Gas and electricity prices are on their way up for most of us. And we know that the more energy we use, the more greenhouse gases we’re producing. A recent survey showed that nearly three quarters of us, 74%, are looking for ways to save energy. So as winter really takes hold, this is a great time to look at ways we can save energy, save the planet – and save money!
Where to start? There are big, long-term things we
can plan to do, but this is not the time of year to do most of them. For now, let’s look at some simple and short-term steps.
First and foremost: measure how much energy you are using. Find a notebook and
write down your gas and electricity readings each month (we have started doing this at St Bartholomew’s so that we can save energy in the Church and Church Hall, too). Consider investing in an electricity monitor – you can sometimes get them for free from your energy supplier. They may also provide other tools to help you monitor your energy use.
But is it really possible to save a worthwhile amount of energy this winter, without
major expense? Yes! If you are elderly, you should always keep your house warm and cosy. But otherwise, the simplest thing to do is to turn the thermostat down - even 0.5 degrees will help. Turn the heating down when you go out. Set the heating to come on later in the morning. Draw your curtains at dusk. Turn radiators off and shut doors in rooms you don’t use. Take showers, not baths.
Doing all this already? OK, how about making sure that all your light bulbs are low
energy, not just a few - there’s great advice on all kinds of low energy bulbs from the website of the Energy Saving Trust. Don’t leave appliances on standby. Set your computer’s energy settings to power down after, say, 10 minutes of inactivity. Fill up your dishwasher and washing machine before using them. And as the weather warms up, hang out your washing rather than using the tumble dryer. Lastly, plug those draughty gaps! Check out Nigel’s Eco Store online for draught-proof letter flaps.
God has given us this world in trust, to look after for future generations. If each of us
does our bit, together we can make a difference – and save money too. If you’d like to be involved in our village organisation which aims to help all of us to reduce our carbon footprint please email me:
info@otfordgreenteam.org.uk.
Bill Lattimer
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