Do you have any tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint? Please send us your ideas and suggestions using the Contact us button below and we will post the best ones on the website.
Congratulations to the following winners from the M&S Green Tip competition held at the WI AGM on 6 June 2007. Each winner will receive a £50 gift voucher for use at Marks & Spencer stores.
1. Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent. You could save around £40 per year2. Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat shouldn't need to be set higher than 60°C/140°F3. Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows. 4. Always turn off the lights when you leave a room5. Don't leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily6. If you're not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme7. Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle)8. A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they're fully turned off9. Use energy saving light bulbs. Just one can save you £100 over the lifetime of the bulb and they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary lightbulbs10. Use the Energy Savings Trust to do a home energy check. Just answer some simple questions about your home and we'll give you a free, impartial report telling you how you can save up to £300 a year on your house hold energy bills.