20 ways to make your home eco-friendly

Saving the environment – and your money – is as simple as fixing that leaky tap, turning off a light... or putting a hippo in your cistern

1. Insulate your loft
One of the simplest ways to make a big saving on energy consumption and reduce heating bills is to insulate that draughty attic. Think carefully about the material you use: recycled newspaper and sheep’s wool are good renewable sources, but it can be more difficult to get a grant to use them. The Heat Project (0800 093 4050; www.heatproject.co.uk) puts you in touch with installers of green insulation who can organise a grant.

2. Feel flush
New dual-flush loos are twice as efficient at saving water (if you use the half-flush option), but for old cisterns, add a water hippo (01989 766667; www.hippo-the-watersaver.co.uk).

3. Let the sun shine
Install solar panels and the sun’s rays will heat around half of your hot water for free. If you don’t want panels on your roof, it may be possible to install free-standing panels in your garden. Contact the Solar Trade Association for more information (01908 442290; www.solartradeassociation.org.uk).

4. Use a bit of elbow grease
Today every domestic chore has its own mousse, wipe and spray, but a natural cleaner and some old-fashioned elbow grease will save your home from man-made chemicals. Open windows and put fresh flowers around the house rather than use synthetic air fresheners, and make your own cleaners with lemon juice, vinegar and tea tree oil – see the WI’s Simple Solutions leaflet for recipes (020 7371 9300; www.womens-institute.org.uk).

5. Book a service
Any new boiler now has to be an energy-efficient condensing model, but you can help old boilers by servicing them every two years. If your boiler is 15 years old or more it may be time to replace it – check the Boiler Efficiency Database (www.sedbuk.com) to find the best model to suit your needs.

6. Buy a sausage dog
Those sausage-dog draught excluders you see at craft fairs can save you money. Hold a ribbon in front of windows and doors to check for draughts, then fit draught proofing around the frames to stop heat escaping. Heavy curtains can keep rooms snug, but don’t let them cover radiators – tuck them behind if necessary.

7. Be switched on
Energy-efficient compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) cost more, but they last for years and save up to 80 per cent on lighting costs. Avoid over-lighting by using task lights and turning them off when you leave a room.

 
8 ...and switched off
Remember when you could stand in your garden and see the Milky Way? Light pollution is putting an end to that and is also threatening wildlife, as insects and birds can no longer tell night from day. Blazing security lamps lead intruders to lurk in shadows, so choose a low-watt porch lamp and use sensors so that lights don’t glare all night. For more information and suggestions, contact the Campaign for Dark Skies (www.dark-skies.org).

9. Choose natural paints
Most paints contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – gloss has higher levels than emulsion – that may cause breathing problems, and some emit noxious gases, such as known carcinogens toluene and xylene. Use natural paints made from vegetable oils, chalk and lime, as sold by Auro Organic Paints (01452 772020; www.auro.co.uk) and Nutshell Natural Paints (0870 033 1140; www.nutshellpaints.com).

10. DIY with care
Where would Changing Rooms be without MDF? It’s popular with DIYers and flatpack furniture makers, but there are concerns over MDF as it’s made by bonding wood dust with a formaldehyde-based glue and is difficult to recycle. Instead, use sustainably sourced timber approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council (01686 413916; www.fsc-uk.org).

11. Are you A-rated?
If you’re buying a new appliance, choose energy-efficient A-rated machines – they do not necessarily cost more. Alternatively, make your existing white goods work more efficiently by defrosting freezers regularly and closing fridge doors properly. Think about the appliances you use: do you really need to tumble-dry clothes on a sunny day? Sometimes appliances can be the better choice, though: a fully loaded A-rated dishwasher can use around half as much hot water as washing the same 12 place settings by hand.

12. Choose wooden windows
Creating PVC-u is one of the most energy intensive and polluting processes in plastics, so wooden window frames are far more ecologically sound. Many people buy PVC-u replacement windows thinking they’ll last longer, but this isn’t necessarily so. If looked after with regular rubbing down and repainting, wooden window frames can last just as long, and are often easier and cheaper to repair.

13. Cool it
Turning the central heating thermostat down by 1ºC can save up to £30 a year on your bill. Thermostatically controlled radiators in individual rooms can be turned down or even off. If you’re always adding cold water to hot running taps, lower the temperature of the hot water on the boiler. Time your heating to go off 30 minutes before you leave the house for the day and to come on 30 minutes before you get back; you won’t even notice it hasn’t been on all the time.
 
14. Check what’s underfoot
If you prefer carpeted floors, choose natural materials, such as wool, coir, jute and seagrass (contact the Alternative Flooring Company on 01264 335111; www.alternativeflooring.com). Real linoleum (lino) is made from linseed oil and is biodegradable (0800 731 2369; www.marmoleum.co.uk) – don’t confuse it with PVC sheet flooring.

15. Focus on your fabric
Sofa covers, curtains, cushions and other upholstery materials are treated with brominated flame retardants (BFRs) to comply with fire regulations. Many of these chemicals are long-lived and some are suspected of disrupting hormones. Ikea has now eliminated BFRs from all the upholstery it sells.

16. Repair where you can
If sofa covers are worn out or table legs are broken, have them re-upholstered or repaired locally. Look for items you can spruce up with a lick of paint or a quick sanding in second-hand or antiques shops.

17. Be water wise
Replace worn tap washers – leaky taps can waste 4 litres of water a day. Consider having your water metered – knowing you pay for water that vanishes down the plug hole is a big incentive to turn off the tap as you brush your teeth.

18. Turn it off!
About 85 per cent of the electricity used by your video recorder is consumed while it’s on standby, so remember to turn appliances off at the socket. A mobile phone charger continues to use electricity even after you’ve unplugged the phone; feel it – the warmth is caused by the constant consumption of electricity; it’s also a fire hazard.

19. Share and share alike
Hands up who has a shed full of power tools that are used only once or twice a year? Save precious resources and the energy needed to manufacture all these items by sharing drills, mowers and strimmers with neighbours.

20. Make a splash
Showers use less water than baths, but not if you have a power shower or spend ages splashing around. Spend less time showering, fit a flow restrictor on to power showers, or consider sharing a bath – fun and good for the environment.

The Energy Saving Trust advises on ways to conserve energy and grants (0845 727 7200; www.est.org.uk). For eco-friendly tips and a directory of green suppliers, read Save Cash & Save the Planet by Andrea Smith and Nicola Baird (Collins) and A Good Life – The Guide to Ethical Living by Leo Hickman (Eden Books).

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