Can you do the light fantastic?
The showerhead and one set of taps which have aerators have less water flow but there is sufficient for everything we need.
And when we see the savings we are impressed. If we can save well over a pound a week now, how much more can we save once we go into winter and get round to fitting the other aerator taps?
I guess we can live with a bit less light if we are doing our bit to protect those polar ice caps.
Was it
worth it?
Start-up cost:
1 x ecocamel aerated showerhead - £24.95 available at www.ecocamel.co.uk
2 x tap aerators £7.90
30 x various lightbulbs £183.81
2 x cistern bags - available free from water companies
total £216.66
Energy consumed in a week before changes:
Water £2.70
Gas 65p
Electricity £6.25
total £9.60
Energy consumed in a week after changes:
Water £2.46
Gas 54p
Electricity £5.21
total £8.21
Saving a total of £1.39 a week or £72.28 a year (if we used the same amount of power each week), it would take three years to make up the start-up cost.
Changes you can make to save energy...
* Seeing double – Double glazing windows helps keep the warm in and the cold out.
* Insulate – Padding out the loft and, if possible, installing cavity wall insulation, helps prevent an outflow of heat.
* Update – Old central heating systems can be inefficient so bring yours up to date.
* Regulate – Individual controls for each radiator help control heat output in each room.
* Reduce flow – Tap aerators, reduced flow showerheads and dual-flush toilets or cistern bags all help cut the amount of water being used.
* Change the lightbulb – If the whole house is too much look for key lights for energy-saving bulbs.
* Bridge the gaps – Install thick curtains which cover the entire window and draught excluders to keep out the cold.
* Choose ethically – Look for eco models when replacing electrical goods such as washing machines or kettles.
DID YOU KNOW?
* On average each person in the UK uses 150 litres of water each day. Water consumption per person has been rising by one per cent per year for the past 70 years. A dripping tap can waste as much as 5,500 litres of water in a year.
* Energy-saving lightbulbs last up to ten times longer than ordinary bulbs. Using an energysaving lightbulb can save around £40 over the lifetime of the bulb.
* Reducing your heating temperature by 1°C saves an average of around £55 per year.
