How Can I Be More 'Green' Without A Lot Of Effort?

There are a lot of small and easy things you can do to be kinder to the environment and also cut down on your monthly bills.

These are a few easy ways to get started.  If you try these and find them easy and want to do more, just do a Google search to find environmental or 'green' websites with even more tips about radiators, water butts, and solar chargers for iPods and phones.

Easy ways to be greener (and also save money on bills!):

Change to CFL or energy saving light bulbs.  Incandescents convert most of the energy they draw (and you pay for each month) into heat rather than light.  Not so with CFLs and each bulb can save you about £40 over the life of the bulb.


Unplug anything that glows... DVD player, mobile phone charger, TV, printers.  Anything that sits on standby or glows when not in use can be unplugged.

Replace your high-volume shower head with an aerated shower head.  These use a mix of water and air that feels strong but can save up to 60% of water compared to an average shower.  


If you drink tea or coffee every day, buy an eco kettle so you never over-boil again.  This seems a small step, but as it adds up every time you make a cuppa it can have a big impact on water saved and energy bills.

Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, washing your hands, or washing dishes.

Fix your dripping taps!  They can waste up to 15 litres of water a day which adds up to 5,500 litres a year.  

Use a shower timer.  If you cut down the time of your usual shower by just one minute, you will save 9 litres of water.  

Invest in one small folding bag to keep with you at all times for impromptu purchases.



Wash fruit and veg in a bowl rather than under a running tap.  Then use the water to water a plant.  

If you're waffling about switching from a desktop computer to a laptop, the latter uses 70% less energy.

Close the curtains in all your rooms at night to retain heat.

Be diligent about using your locally available recycling facilities and services.


Only drive if you have to.  If you have time, walk instead and count it as part of your daily exercise.  Pick one day of the week to walk, rather than drive, the kids to school.  Or do smaller grocery shops more often so you can walk.  Don't forget to bring re-usable shopping bags.