Eco Friendly House And Garden

A Real Guide To Sustainable Living – they say, and they mean business. 

This isn’t a book that you can take lightly – it is full of maths and equations to justify their suggestions; and some things really need explaining as they turn common eco conceptions on their head!

Basically this book explains how we should be approaching our lives if we truly want to live an eco friendly lifestyle – or to live ecologically within our ‘allotted’ means.  By ‘allotted’ they mean if we are only to use our fair share of worldly resources rather than just putting a green angle onto everything we do.

And to prove it, they open up with a look at the widely held beliefs of the world without even considering the eco consequences to see what we are expecting the Earth to do for us as we are today.  From there, they try to whittle us down to what the Earth can actually do for us.

The Book Itself:
The book is something you need to read with a notepad and calculator on one side and some strong coffee on the other!

I have a basic grasp of ‘footprints’, ‘embodied energy’ and the worlds finite resources – but the maths part was a bit too much to keep on top of piled thick, as it was, in the body of the text.

They did have a huge number of very easy to understand charts and tables of everything they were talking about (which helped make up for skipping all the equations) and I didn’t loose the thread of their arguments by not reading all the numbers and MJ’s etc.

The Authors help to explain why some of the things that we assume would be eco friendly turn out not to be based on a bigger picture – for example walking isn’t that ecologically sensible if you are getting all your energy (ie eating) processed cheeseburgers from a store.  Basically, the energy chain of land use, transport, chemicals, packaging, heating, storing and selling the burgers in the first place is so huge that the ‘eco’ effort of walking fuelled by burgers wasn’t really ‘saving the planet’.

photo credit: Bob B. Brown

Similarly a 20 minute shower in an eco friendly low-water shower still uses nearly twice the amount of water than a 5 minute shower in an old-style water-intensive shower.  Further more, sharing a bath between 2 people uses around the same water per person as that same eco-friendly – but long – shower.

They use compelling reasoning to hold this all together as well as extensive research data from around the globe.  And even though a lot of their arguments offer very simple solutions to the World’s ecological problems – much is still recommending a somewhat ‘alternative’ lifestyle, where you use hemp for clothes, buy less things, stay ‘behind the times’, somewhat, live in smaller houses with the lights off and share things with other people rather than buying your own.

Now I know that this will all reduce our eco footprints and keep our emissions down and the world turning – but these aren’t the eco friendly living tips that people want to hear.  The people that do want to hear this are probably already aware of most of their discussions already.

I totally agree that our actions are sometimes more important that the eco technology that is on offer (like flushing the toilet less times will save more water than flushing more times with a low-flush mechanism, and choosing a small basic home will be better in terms of resources than living in an enormous eco friendly house) but I think that it is preaching to the converted.

Result: 3/5:
Even if my not-so-eco-friendly friends could have forced themselves to have read this entire book in the first place, I don’t think they would be heeding much of it’s advice.

I think it is a great text-book style book and can really help to compare ecological differences between common activities and products, but I don’t think it will change peoples attitudes in the style in which it is written. 

Although I really enjoyed several section of this book, I noticed a flaw.  They spend so long working out the embodied energy (EE) of a product (or the products and activities that went into making the parts for that oringinal product) that they sometimes considered slightly different things as important in each case.

For example, in the only section of the book that I had a really good knowledge of (pets) they managed to completely write off the transport angle for the tinned food in their comparison of dog and cat food (even though they went into shoe leather replacement in the walking vrs driving section).  They say that the eco effect of tinned packaging was negligible because we are encourage to recycle tins!  Well, how on earth do they intend to get these tins to those 76.5 million hungry cats worldwide without making an ecological impact?

And secondly their argument included showing that a cat food with less meat content made less of an impact (obvious when you consider the land used for beef and the land used to grow the winter food for beef as well) – however, cats that are fed on low amounts of meat will be more likely to become ill, get dry skin, loose hair, get gum disease etc (as not enough meat or too much vegetable matter isn’t good for a cat).  As a result – you will be using your vet more often or maybe adding shampoos and supplements to your cat to ‘cover up’ all these new problems.

Now I’m sure that these cosmetics and medicines (and trips to the vets) have just as much of an impact as adding the few extra percents of meat in their food in the first place.  High quality dried pet food are fed in smaller quantities as other foods, and are known to reduce these health (and aesthetic) problems – as well as coming in bulk paper packaging instead of heavy, bulky tins filled with 80% water!

They also said that a well handled hamster will be happy to live on it’s own – where infact the most common type of hamster (the Syrian hamster) will ONLY ever live on it’s own.  If you put 2 in the same cage, they will no doubt fight to the death within just a few days!

So now, can I really believe all the other comparisons they made in areas that I know little about?

ISBN: 978-0-500-28790-3

Take inspiration from the tricks of historical homes – and reduce your impact!

If you have ever visited a historic house that retains a certain amount of it's true furnishing – then you could be inspired to try the same.

Now obviously, many historic houses have things that any modern eco friendly home should avoid – like extensive glazing on northern facing walls, trophy animal heads from overseas and dinner parties with 11 courses – but they also have some great ideas that you might need to investigate a little further to see the eco benefits to.

One recent idea that took my fancy was a room decorated with curtains instead of wall paper.  Now at first glance it seemed totally overwhelming and somewhat odd – but on speaking to the room steward it all made sense.

Eco Friendly Furnishings:
It turns out that this 'curtain' room was infact a money saving (and personal preservation) idea that incorporated great eco design – stolen from Norman castles and Tudor mansions!

Now, stone walls were no fun – and were very cold infact – so people from history used to create great tapestries that they would hang on the walls of their castles to keep the heat in!  Yes, these tapestries were beautiful in their own right and may well have portrayed a great battle or a great hunt – but they were really for stopping the cold.

If you have ever watched period dramas, they were also used to hide 'secret' doors and to create an image of wealth and prosperity!

And – the eco friendly part – could be changed to suit the mood without being destroyed.

Variety Is The Spice Of Life:
Say you wanted to change your bedroom design.  You would no doubt have to change the wallpaper, paint over existing walls and even the curtains or blinds would have to go.

Now, say you were able to 'peel off' the inside of your bedroom and keep it somewhere safe until you wanted it again – wouldn't that be a great idea?

Well, that is exactly what these wall 'curtains' allowed the home owner to do.  They wanted lighter, brighter and fun designs for the room in the summer; and maybe heavier, cosy and darker colours in the winter to help keep the place warm through the colder months.

So rather than having to destroy one interior to replace with another – and spend money and resources in the doing – they just got the winter curtains out of the loft and changed them over instead!

An instant change of room could be achieved without wasting any more money or materials.  Great for important meals, important visitors or for added wear and tear if it was a kids room!

photo credit: SimonCMason

Modern Twist:
I know you might look a bit odd in your city apartment if you started hanging curtains in every room, but you could use modern tapestries or other materials to cover large sections of wall and still look 'normal'.

Kids could have their rooms painted in a neutral colour and then have removeable embellishments to suit their fancy – like giant curtains on the window wall that don't just stop at the window's edge but continue to the floor and walls – or curtains they can draw on with washable inks.

Maybe they could have great big removable stickers that they could move around the room as and when they fancied a new scene – or even use wipe-clean pens to draw their own wall designs.

You shouldn't need to destroy a whole interior to change your rooms – and obviously any materials hung over doors and windows (and external walls) can help to reduce heat loss at the same time.

We all like change – just do it responsibly!

Lighting your home for low energy consumption is an important part of modern eco living.

But don’t forget that it is also very important for all your other hoursehold activities too - like reading, entertaining and general safety.  So do think about these when trying to change your lighting for the better.

If you don’t plan for the correct number of light fixtures in your rooms – or bulb brightness; then you may end up having to make adaptations to the room, or changing room uses – which could all be avoided with better planning.

For example, if the lights are not bright enough in your lounge, you may want to read and use your laptop in the kitchen instead, where seating is usually more uncomfortable - and you may have to keep moving out of the way for others to eat.  And why heat the front room if noone ever really uses it anyway?

But then what if your kitchen is open plan to the hall, the stairs or the conservatory – heating that space is going to cost you more money and energy than having fitted a suitable light in the lounge in the first place!

No Need To Compromise:
Planning for a greener home doesn’t mean you have to ask for less stylish fittings - and you can still take advantage of contemporary designs like modern alessi Designs or AXO’s avant-garde approach in your home.  ‘Eco Friendly’ doesn’t have to mean ‘boring’ – just plan ahead and choose the eco options where possible, for example fittings that work with low energy bulbs and lighting that makes a room in your home fit for the purpose you want to use it for. 

I mean, you can still have glitz and glamour in your home – but make sure it is with a purpose: like some delicate chandelier lighting in the dining room!  If you have a dining room that you want to glam up for special occasions – then go for it!  Energy-efficient light bulbs can be used for most fittings these days – and you still get to enjoy that special treat for yourself without having just a boring single lampshade in your room!

And, as you use it regularly for entertaining – it will be fit for purpose and so make better use of that space, those fittings and your energy choices.  It can also help to keep that room ‘kid free’ so it stays as a special place for grown-ups or special events.

Planning Ahead For A Night In:
Another idea is to have 2 sets of independent lights in a room – for 2 different purposes.  Take your lounge: day to day living for the family, or quiet night in for the grown-ups? 

If you are like me and want the lounge only lit with low light while watching an evening movie – then consider a pendant light – or three.  Rather than leaving the bright kitchen or hall way lights on to create that ambiance; why not light the room with low wattage (and low energy) tiny lights – maybe with colored covers for some warmth. 

And don’t forget – keeping the lighting in the room you are actually in means you can close the door and keep the warmth inside in the winter – rather than it all leaking out of the open hallway door!

So, plan ahead – way ahead – and make sure that the time and energy you spend on planning your new light fittings will fit with your hopes and uses for each room. 

No more having to sit somewhere stupid just because it’s brighter, no more having to move the furniture around to fit in a new lamp – and of course no more compromise on having an eco friendly house!

We bulk buy products to be eco friendly – so does a bigger house give the same benefits?

We’ll not if you are just a single person or a couple – but what if you involved the whole family or some friends?  And I don’t mean join some commune or hippy campsite – although they are both options for some people.

What I am talking about is a great idea for saving energy, combining skills and resources as well as improving everything else ‘in bulk’.  So how about it?

The Theory:
I would love to live in a large home surrounded by land – but I know this would be a bit selfish in the overall scheme of things – so how about a compromise?

How about planning to live in a house with other people, whether they be my mum or sibling – or even friends – And it doesn’t need to be as bad as it sounds: you would plan to buy a property that still allowed you your privacy, for example a 3 story town house, divided into 2 sections or a detached property with a ‘granny annexe’ as part of it.

This way, you can pool resources too, like a joint investment in a garden allotment, solar panels, wildlife garden etc, as not only will you have more combined finances with this arrangement – you will also have a larger amount of space to work with.

2 couples living in townhouses may only have a small courtyard garden and a thin sliver of the terraced roof – but combine those 2 mortgages or using a larger deposit could mean you are able to buy detached, with more garden, off road parking, fruit trees, a larger roof and less overheads: only 1 TV license, one Council Tax, lower energy costs (the first so-many units are higher priced), lower food costs (buying in bulk), the list goes on……

It has all the same advantages as buying a 2 litre bottle of shampoo rather than 4x500ml bottles – but on a much larger scale!

Other Benefits:
For starters, all the maintenance costs will be shared between you all, insurance bills and repairs will all be halved – so more money to spend on green investments.

The security of your home will be increased as when you are away, the other people will probably still be around – and the animals and plants can carry on growing while you are busy.

Magazine subscriptions can be shared, and days out can be treated as ‘family’ tickets as there will always be enough people to make up the numbers! Less cars even, depending on your situation – and more shared journeys – or less journeys even; well if you are going to the store – then your flatmates don’t need to!

Food should never go out of date if there are twice as many people around to eat it – and if you ook together then imagine the energy savings!  And there will always be enough dirty dishes to fill the machine – and clothes for a full wash!

And can you imagine how great it would be for the kids to grow up in a friendly environment where they can learn skills from all the people around them, and live in an house with a bit of character and a large garden with chickens in it!

Sounds perfect – I just need to find some similar-minded friends…………

Some simple tricks can stop your heating bill spiralling out of control and wasting all that energy!

Remember visiting you grandparents house and there were a few things that you didn’t have at home that you thought were funny.  Well some of them were totally eco friendly and we never took them on board.

Nans had these funny things as there wasn’t such a thing as central heating, so all of these were used simply to keep warm and stop cold draughts blowing aroundthe house.

Now of course, they can save energy, money and the environment too – so maybe I can take you on a walk around my nans house and see what you can do today.

Plastic Sheets: 18% of heat is lost through your windows.
In the colder rooms that weren’t used so often had tight plastic sheets taped over them on the inside.  Double glazing was unheard of so putting in your own secondary ‘glazing’ was the way to go.

If you didn’t want to open the windows through the winter, then why not seal them up for the colder months.  These days of course you can buy actual double glazing, retro-fit secondary glazing – or even buy an eco friendly equivalent of the old plastic sheeting called Eco Glaze which is acrylic sheets that are attached to your window with magnetic strips so you can put them on or take them off when you want!

Maybe even consider triple glazing in bad areas or just the leakiest window!

Giant Velvet Curtain: 15% of heat is lost through doors.
My nan had the most amazing thick red curtain on the back of the front door.  It was on a great big rail and it was more than twice as wide as the door and at least a foot too long – great for hiding behind!

By making sure that there was more than enough curtain to block any breezes made it all the more worth having.  I mean if you are fitting a curtain in the first place, it’s a bit pointless if it is too short or too thin.  Spend the extra pennies and get it right first time.

Maybe consider fitting a simple porch to buffer the outside and inside spaces.

Long Tube Of Socks:
Along the bottom of the lounge door when we were all sitting inside was a handmade tube of old socks and rags.  I suppose it could be made into a comedy sausage dog if you sewed ears on!

It was the perfect way to stop draughts coming under the door when you were heating just the one room.  Just like today – when you have the log burner on the go in the one room, keep all the heat in there too.  Modern equivalents can be plates you screw on to the bottom of you door with a furry edge – but I quite like the idea of making my own sausage dog!

Over-Patterned Rugs:  8% of heat is lost through floors.
Now, you don’t have to go an buy a bright swirly rug or a heavily-pattered dark red rug to stop cold air coming through your floorboards!

These days you can fill the gaps on old floorboards with man-made natural fillers, buy nice plain rugs in all sizes, or fit carpets with thick underlay to make sure that your home stays warm!

Maybe consider fitting underfloor heating if you are having other work done in your home.  This is a much more efficient way to heat your home than traditional central heating and means you can put your furniture where you want it rather than having to fit it around huge radiators…….. 

So, go round to your great aunts house or your friends nans and check out their energy and money saving tips!

Bathrooms are sometimes overlooked in a property – but they could make a huge difference!

Today’s families are not only looking for energy efficient additions to a home – they are looking for the eco basics as well – I mean, who would want a ginormous sunken bath or a thick carpet in the bathroom these days?

People want to feel warm and – lets be honest – a little spoilt in their bathrooms. We might want underfloor heating to keep it warm, a shower enclosure to reduce moisture or spills or even low-flow taps to reduce waste. But we still want the mod cons in there.

Everyone visits your bathroom at least twice a day – so why ignore it for it’s eco potential – and for it’s ability to sell your home when you need to move on.

The Eco Benefits:
I’m not suggesting that you start renovating your bathroom now for no reason other than for ‘a change’ as this really would be a waste of resources – but if you have been staring at the same old tiles for years now, or need to make a change for financial or growing family reasons – then why not start considering your options.

For example, if you have many people living under your roof, you might now realise the simplicity (and water-saving ability) of a shower. With 3 or 4 people needing to wash in the morning, a bath each just isn’t an option – and neither is sharing your bath with your grown-up children!

Toilet flushing for a large family can also be a particular drain on water (and your expenses) – so installing a smaller flush facility might well be something you would be considering in the near future.

Personal Change:
Younger children on the way or already in the home might make you think of a smaller bath tub. Well, they certainly don’t need the whole length of it filled with heated water – being only a few feet long themselves.  However, reducing a few feet of your bath could leave room in the corner for that lovely shower you have been waiting for (and save litres and litres of water every week!).

Older people may well also be considering a change around in the bathroom for safety and mobility issues – both being great opportunities to swap old fixtures and fittings for more eco friendly options.

Selling Your Home:
If you are thinking of changing your bathroom for a house sale – then it could well be worth it.

Making sure that this particular room is clean, fresh and full of eco friendly money-saving features could well swing the sale – and people just love to ‘move right in’ without the added worry and cost of having to redecorate.

Also, some people don’t want to work too hard to save energy, so by opting for modern fixtures that do it all for you could have real selling appeal!

And even if they don’t even notice it’s all eco friendly – it will still look great!

I know that net curtains are a bit old fashioned these days – but they protect what’s inside!

So, how about a modern alternative: Blinds.

In winter, an uncovered glass window is just asking to let heat escape 24 hours a day.  So why let it?  Here are some great benefits and tips for modern window coverings – and it’s not just about heat either, but we will start there:

1) Escaping Heat:
If your window isn’t protected from the inside, all the heat from your room is going to head for the outside.  Nature likes to keep everything equal, so if the nice warm air can get outside and mix with the colder air – it will, just like cordial mixing into the glass of water.

If you don’t give the warm air a chance to get cold – all the warm air will stay in your home and keep your fuel bills down.  Blinds and curtains are the equivalent of insulation in your roof: without them the heat just escapes!

Close your blinds as soon as it gets dark outside to trap most of the daytime heat inside.  

2) Letting In The Sun:
In summer it is quite the opposite!  You want all the sunshine you can to come in the windows – flooding your home with warmth.

A net curtain in the way could be a hindrance to this – so blinds are perfectly designed to roll completely out of the way – allowing you room to fill with the sun’s rays – and keep your home warm into the evening.

Use natures power when you can! (and it’s free!)

3) Security:
Closing your window blinds when it’s dark outside is also essential for good security.  Once you lights are on and it’s dark outside – everyone can see straight into your home – with all your electrical goodies on show.

Walking in the streets when it’s dark is a great opportunity for thieves to ‘case the joint’.  They can see everything you are doing – and more importantly – they will know when you are not in!

4) Privacy:
Linked to above, but for those people who have a window actually on the street front – you don’t want people looking in, but you don’t want to shut out the sunshine – so why not fit a half-blind at head height. 

Alternatively you can now order blinds that open from the top rather than the bottom.  Ideal for letting in the light without letting in the nosey parkers!

5) Conservation:
Sunlight and UV rays can damage precious materials and paintings over time, so sometimes you would want to block out the light when it is directly shining onto a certain piece of furniture or art work.

Net curtains won’t do the trick and full curtains will make the whole room pitch black – however blinds can be adjusted to cover only the articles you want to protect, letting the rest of the room stay in sunlight!

6) Style:
And finally – why should saving energy be boring?  It isn’t, you just have to look in the right places.

There are many suppliers of trendy, fashionable, traditional, plain, black-out, bamboo and wood blinds, either fitted into the frame for extra heat and light control, hanging loose – so you can still peak around them, or top opening for privacy.

So, maybe consider using blinds to save money, save energy, protect your property and look great!

What Are The New Light Bulbs All About?

There has been much debate in the news about the new CPL light-bulbs that are being forced upon us by the government to lower Carbon Emissions.

Some would say that we need forcing as they are more energy efficient than the old incandescent light-bulbs we know and love – but others say that they have some serious down-sides which may take years to sort out!

So, what’s what?

Compact Fluorescent Lamp’s (CFL’s)    
These new light-bulbs are appearing all over the country – and they look odd!  They generally take the form of chunky tubes bent into various square-ish forms and should fit into all standard light and lamp fixtures.  Basically they are a scaled down version of the strip fluorescent tubes you find in kitchens and offices already (the ones that take a while to flick on and can start flashing without warning!).

They are reported to use a lot less power to run than normal light-bulbs and can last up to between 6000 – 15000, up to 15 times longer than the alternative incandescents – apparently making them justify their more expensive price tag!  In theory then, creating less waste after use – and ultimately reduced manufacturing costs as we won’t need to buy them so often.  They are reported to last up to 5 years with normal household use!

Running a CFL light generates less heat than an incandescent bulb, therefore reducing the need for cooling in warmer months – particularly useful in shops and offices where heat can affect products.

In the EU, CFL’s are rated as either A or B in their energy rating system (ie – the most energy efficient in their class), with halogen bulbs getting a D-rating, and the old incandescents getting and E or F-rating!  They are reported to use as little as 20% of the energy of a standard light-bulb – so reducing running costs of offices and retail outlets greatly! 

However, it’s not all good news.  There are many downsides to these new light-bulbs and suddenly the balance of energy-saving and environmental problems clash somewhat!

What’s Not So Hot?
Well, for a start it is believed that LED lighting is the next best thing -  they are safer, brighter, faster, last longer and are more energy-efficient than the CFL’s  – So why are we settling for 2nd best?  Why not just focus on the best one rather than filling the gap with a temporary solution?

Secondly – the CFL bulbs contain mercury.  Now, they report that it is only equivalent to the plastic bit at the end of a biro, but the light-bulbs themselves are only small – so in my book that is still a lot!  And mercury is toxic as we all know. 

Now – there is mercury in the fluorescent strip bulbs already, and we use those all over the place – but these are in our bedrooms and lounges now – and do we want the risk?  The industry is trying to reduce this for the next generation bulbs – but of course, you won’t need those until 2014 will you!

Obviously, if they are used correctly in their fixtures – the mercury will not cause you any risk.  However, if they break in your home, or you throw them in you trash – they can present a ‘small risk’ to your health!  The UK Energy Savings Trust say that this is negligible and mercury is released into the atmosphere when generating the coal-fired energy to power your old wasteful (and your new) light-bulbs.  Basically it’s an equal trade-off for the environment, but a bit more risky for the individual.

Alternatively, Recolight advise that there is a risk to health and that you should wear rubber gloves when handling broken bulbs, not to inhale dust, ventilate the room and most importantly: do not vacuum it up!  Why?  Because the mercury will get blown about the room and some will remain in the filter – spewing out every time you use it afterwards!!!!

Go to Maine’s Environmental Site for a more detailed advice list for dealing with a broken bulb, including washing your hands and face thoroughly and even replacing the carpet if young children or pregnant women may come in contact with it!!  Scary stuff…..

There are not really efficient systems in place to recycle these bulbs once they are spent either, and some experts say the technology to do so is years away.  Current estimations say that up to 75% of CFL bulbs are thrown away in the normal trash – releasing the mercury – and creating more damage than the energy they save!  Experts also advise that you contain your broken and unbroken bulbs in air-tight glass jars while transporting them to avoid mercury release….. 

You can give your bulbs back to a number of stores though for recycling and disposal, including Home Depot and Ikea.  Check the EPA website or your National Environmental Agency for more advice on disposal near you.  Some private companies can collect bulk amounts at some cost to you though.

Finally, they only work at their most efficient if they stay on for longer than 15 minutes at a time!  If you have one in your bathroom or closet that goes on and off within just a few minutes – you can actually shorten it’s lifespan by up to 85% – basically back to where a normal light-bulb would be – except you paid more for this one!

Also, due to their internal workings, you need to buy a specific type to work with dimmer switches, motion sensor and linked systems as they flash or change brightness as and when they please!  They can also buzz and flicker – annoying some people more than others – and they give some people a head-ache!

So, although I will be replacing my old light-bulbs with an appropriate CFL bulb – Roll on LED lighting I say!!

Finding Energy Efficient Appliances Should Be Easy…

It is now easier than ever to find yourself and energy-efficient electrical appliance without compromising on quality or service.

Basically, manufacturers these days are trying to improve the energy efficiency of their electrical items to win your purchase. In Europe there is now the ‘Energy Rating Scheme’ (EU energy ratings from A (most energy efficient) through to G (least energy efficient)and that this is displayed on their and their competitors appliances. And in the US there is the Energy Star rating system doing the same thing.

Needless to say, many manufacturers want you to buy their products – and so they need to make sure that theirs matches up or betters the competition!! All good for the environment and the consumers pocket.

How To Get It Right:
Below are 4 simple steps to make sure that you are getting the best in terms of energy efficiency in your new appliances. They include just the basics – as obviously there are performance and branding issues that are specific to each household – as well as different budgets.

You also need to be aware that more energy efficient models are not necessarily better at washing your clothes or not breaking down all the time! The energy rating schemes only cover energy requirements – not the machines themselves – so you still need to research the products before purchase and read reviews or speak to the sales person in your store or on-line.

1) Research your products in advance.
Make sure that you have decided exactly what you need out of the appliance, for simplicities sake – a toaster that does 4 slices at a time or a dishwasher to fit in a small space in you kitchen, etc.

Once you have narrowed down your options, take a look at customer reviews to check usability and to line it up with your budget. Don’t forget that the price you pay will not always reflect what you get for your money and buying the cheaper model may cost you more in repairs than the slightly more expensive version that has a longer working life.

2) Look for the Energy Saving Logo/the Energy Star.
By checking which of your short-list have been labelled as more energy-efficient can help you make the right choice in terms of reduced running costs for yourself.

Buying a lower rated item in the EU (D-G) may well mean you end up using more electricity per wash – theoretically making the machine/appliance ‘cost more’ over the year:

Cost of Item + cost to run per year + cost of any repairs = actual cost of item to you.

Energy Ratings are now available on many appliances including TV’s, set top boxes, heating equipment and fridges – plus many more. Some items have more than 1 ‘score’ in the EU so make sure you check each one.

3) Ask In Store.
As more and more consumers are wanting to know about ways to reduce their energy costs – retailers are better informed of their options. Staff take training in this area to make sure that they are advising you on the best product for your requirements.

They should be able to explain how the energy rating systems work in your country and for every appliance you are interested in. They should also know how to find out and compare details on all their models – for example showing which perform best on standby and whether certain items come with energy saving features like automatic ‘sleep mode’. Up to 8% of UK TV energy is wasted while on standby!

If you have done your research before you arrive in the store, then you won’t be overwhelmed by the choices available when you get to the shelves – try not to be swayed by appearance if you are serious about energy saving. Wanting that pink version that is D-rated is only a passing phase!!!!

4) Consider Doubling up!
Integrated appliances are the way forward with energy-saving. For example buying a TV with built in digital receiver – only buying 1 product rather than 2. Fridge-freezers and washer-Driers do the same.

• Less raw materials to create – it’s all in one casing
• Less packaging – only one item instead of 2 or more
• Less transport – only 1 item to get to the store/your home
• Less products in total – less plugs and cabling needed
• Less electricity when on standby – only one power source

You may already have the second appliance – but when it is no longer required or breaks down – you then don’t need to replace it!

I hope that these few steps have been useful, and there will be more about appliances coming soon to help you make the better choices for the environment!

PS - cut down on games console usage if you can – they use loads of energy to run! A well used console can add around £160 EXTRA onto your electricity bill!!!

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