Eco awareness begins at home
The average home is a worryingly large contributor to the rapidly deteriorating state of the climate. Perhaps even more concerning is the fact that small inefficiencies in matters of household appliances all mount up, turning what you might see as essentials for daily living into greenhouse gas-producing machines. An outdated dishwasher could emit up to 48kg of CO2 each year, and if everyone upgraded their fridge-freezers to energy efficient models the UK would save a total of £700 million per year.
In terms of household energy waste, heating appliances are some of the worst offenders. Radiators or boilers which are badly installed or placed in unsuitable areas of a property could lead to an excessive and unnecessary amount of gas usage, just for a home to be adequately warm. Companies like British Gas offer consumer-beneficial insulating packages, meaning that your radiators won’t have to work overtime in order to keep you from freezing. You can also arrange an appointment with a Heating Advisor on the radiators section of their site - they will help you find the best solution for your requirements.
If you want to improve the ecological impact of your home but would still rather use gas than electricity then dual fuel systems are a happy medium, combining the two energy sources together. This is far from the most financially effective method of going green, but the negative aspects of just electrical or gas power are reduced by the presence of the other.
This is all applicable in the long run, but if you are unsure as to whether or not to make the switch to dual fuel, or to subscribe to any kinds of carbon emissions offset schemes, then you can still make big changes incredibly easily. Take light bulbs, for instance: the way that they’ve worked up until now, being inefficient and prone to filament overheating, is being challenged by new hugely efficient models. Energy saving light bulbs use up to 80% less electricity than standard ones whilst producing the same amount of light.
Household appliances, from dishwashers to light bulbs, will be more than likely to carry an Energy Saving Recommended sticker if it is considered to be environmentally friendly enough. It’s not necessarily a question of gutting the entire contents of your house and restocking it with newer equipment, but you can gradually reduce the amount of waste produced by your home by updating antiquated technology, or replacing your tungsten bulbs with halogen lights. You will have a positive effect even by using eco-friendly washing up liquid and hanging up your laundry instead of running the tumble dryer.
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