The Big Switch Off

 Tip of the Day

• Start your journey of energy efficiency by making the on-line pledge to support this campaign.
• The average household wastes around £37 a year by leaving appliances on standby. If you leave a mobile phone charger plugged in all the time it's constantly using energy. By switching everything off at the wall when not using it you can save both energy and money to make a real difference.***
• Consumer electronics sector is the single biggest user of domestic electricity. By 2020 entertainment, computers and gadgets will account for an extraordinary 45 per cent of electricity used in our homes – Find out more.
• Find out green gadgets that help you to save money and energy.

• Replace all the inefficient light bulbs in your home with low energy light bulbs, which can last around ten times longer than standard bulbs, and save around £37 a year.
• Remember energy saving light bulbs throughout your home could save you around £590 over the lifetime of the bulbs.
• Watch a short video clip – A guide to energy saving lighting.
• Find out about different shapes, sizes and features of energy saving light bulbs.

• Around 12% of heat is escaping from draughts in a typical house; give a green make over to stop that money escaping out of your hands.
• Save around £25 a year by draught proofing around windows and doors.

• Visit the interactive energy saving house to see where in your house you can make a difference by saving up to £300 and 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
• Insulating your loft to the full recommended depth of 270mm could save up to £150 a year on heating bills if no insulation is already present.
• Get cavity wall insulation to reduce the amount of energy you need to heat your home and saves around £115 a year. For older properties, solid wall insulation would save around £400 on heating bills a year.
• Replace single glazing windows with Energy Saving Recommended double glazing and save around £135 a year on heating bills.
• Watch short video clips on loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.

• Download information on typical energy usage of household appliances.
• Upgrade to Energy Saving Recommended appliances and save up to £36 a year.
• Look for the energy saving logo while buying new appliances; adopt the guide to choosing consumer electronics. You'll find energy saving logo on a wide range of products from kitchen appliances including washing machines and fridges, heating and televisions.
• Some retailers will recycle old equipment free of charge when you buy from them but make sure you ask about this when you purchase a new gadget. Or you can try the free recycling network, Freecycle.

• Replacing an old G-rated boiler with a new A-rated condensing boiler and a full set of heating controls can cut your heating bill by up to a quarter - that’s up to £235 a year.
• Find out the right boiler for your home.
• Turning your thermostat down by 1 ^oC could cut your heating bills by up to 10%, saving you around £55 a year. If you have a programmer, set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time.
• Control individual room temperatures with thermostatic radiator valves and prevent heating rooms fully that are not in use unnecessarily. ***
• Watch a short video clip on:- A guide to energy saving heating.

• Making sure your hot water tank and any visible pipes between the tank and boiler have adequate insulation could save you around £45 a year.
• Is your water too hot? Install a cylinder thermostat at 60°C/140°F and you could save around £25 and 120kg of CO₂ a year.
• A bath typically uses around 80 litres, while a short shower can use as little as a third of that amount. But be aware many power-showers may actually use more than a bath.
• Only boil as much water as you need, ensuring you cover the element, buy an eco-kettle to save water and energy.
• Washing clothes at 30 ^oC instead of a higher temperature can use around 40% less electricity and could save your around £10 a year. Modern washing powders and detergents work just as effectively at lower temperatures.
• Before starting your washing machine, wait for a full load- a full load uses less water than two half loads; so, you'll be able to save money on energy and water.