Tips - Make your own lunch

Making your own lunch instead of buying from a sandwich shop saves on packaging, and could also save you approx �4 a day or �1,000 per year!

Tips - Recycle old mobiles

Avoid waste by saying no to mobile phone upgrades. If you need to recycle an old phone, many supermarkets, charity shops and mobile phone retailers offer recycling services. Alternatively try charity schemes such as http://www.recyclingappeal.com/scope/, http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/recycle/phones.htm or http://www.actionaidrecycling.org.uk/mobilephones.htm

Tips - Get recycling from your doorstep!

Use your kerbside recycling scheme - following the success of Friends of the Earth's Household Waste Recycling Act all councils will be required to collect two recycleable materials from every household by 2010. To call for better doorstep recycling, visit http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/waste/press_for_change

Tips - Recycle old fridges

Old fridges and freezers contain CFCs and HCFCs. When it's time to buy a new one, get a 'Greenfreeze' model. Retailer Comet will collect your old one for reconditioning when you buy a new one from them (there's a small charge).

Tips - Avoid disposable batteries

Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones - they'll save you money in the long term. You can buy solar powered rechargers if you want to reduce your environmental impact even further.

Tips - Refuse plastic carrier bags

Plastic carrier bags take generations to break down in landfill. Get a funky re-useable or cotton bag instead for your shopping trips and say 'no thanks' to plastic carrier bags.

Tips - Recycle unwanted items

By 'recycling' unwanted items, less will end up in landfill. One person's rubbish can be another's treasure - the ideal way to save cash and save the planet! Visit http://www.freecycle.org/ or http://www.rag-and-bone.co.uk/ When you want to find a new home for something - whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door - you simply asdvertise it. Or, maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself. Simply respond to an advert, and you just might get it.

Tips - Cheaper rail travel

Take the train - no getting stuck in motorway jams, no need to read maps, and you could save cash too. To cut the cost of rail travel, get a rail card or book in advance. There's always plenty of special offers too - see http://www.nationalrail.co.uk and http://www.thetrainline.com

Tips - Waste less paper

It's surprising how much junk mail arrives on the doorstep, but there's a few things you can do to reduce this as much as possible. Sign up to the Mailing Preference Service (http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/). Return to sender - send unwanted mail back - including any addressed to previous occupants - and ask them to remove your address from their mailing list. When you move to a new address, contact the companies whose mailing lists you're on, and give them your new address - or ask them to remove your details. Finally, put a 'No junk mail' notice next to your letterbox to avoid unwanted leaflets.

Tips - The Phone Co-op

The Phone Co-Op is a telephone service which is run for the benefit of its employees and customers, and they have a more environmentally responsible approach to business than some of the bigger providers. For example, they pay a voluntary levy to Climate Care to offset their carbon dioxide emissions and source their electricity from a green source. Because they're not set up to make money, their charges are competitive too - 1p minimum call charge (compared with BT's 4.2p), per second billing and no set up charges - find out more at http://www.thephone.coop/

Tips - Watch your waste line

We throw away seven times our own body weight in rubbish every year. Most goes to landfill sites or incinerators. That's bad for people and the local environment. Find out what you can do about it: http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/campaign_express/18/

Tips - Oil for ape scandal

Orang-utans could become extinct within 12 years as the palm oil industry relentlessly destroys their forest home. Palm oil is a vegetable oil found in one in 10 products we buy in the supermarket. Ask the Government for a law that makes UK companies take action to minimise this kind of damage. Email the Minister of State for Industry at http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/corporates/press

Tips - Kyoto and beyond

The only international agreement on climate change (the Kyoto Protocol) became law earlier this year. Now is a good time to look at what happens next. Clear tough targets are needed - but not everyone agrees. Contact Elliot Morley, UK Minister for Climate Change, to ask him to take tough action at the UN climate talks next month. Visit

Tips - Recycle CDs and DVDs

Give unwanted CDs and DVDs a new lease of life. CDs can be recycled into burglar alarms, street lighting and lenses. DVD cases can be recycled into birdfeeders. Collect yours, or set up a collection point at work, and send to Polymer Reprocessors. For details, visit http://www.polymer-reprocessors

Tips - Recycle CDs and DVDs

Give unwanted CDs and DVDs a new lease of life. CDs can be recycled into burglar alarms, street lighting and lenses. DVD cases can be recycled into birdfeeders. Collect yours, or set up a collection point at work, and send to Polymer Reprocessors. For details, visit http://www.polymer-reprocessors

Tips - Recycling targets

The Government is consulting on new recycling targets for local authorities in England. Unfortunately, the proposed targets are very low and do not reflect the rapid increase in recycling. Email Ben Bradshaw, the DEFRA Minister responsible for the consultation, to urge him to set higher targets: http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/waste/press...rgets_bradshaw/ Tip of the Day will take a break until the New Year. Festive wishes from Friends of the Earth for a happy - and green - Christmas!

Tips - Stop increase in incineration

The Government is about to publish a draft England waste strategy for consultation. The BBC has reported this could propose a massive increase in incineration. Friends of the Earth believes more recycling is a far better solution - it uses less energy, encourages less waste and causes less pollution. You can make a difference by urging your MP to challenge the Government - visit

Tips - New homes - new emissions?

Friends of the Earth is calling for the Government to take action on climate change. All areas of Government need to do their bit. Yet current plans mean large numbers of new energy inefficient homes could be built. Illogical? Yes. Please email your MP now to press for change at http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate

Tips - Dress your hot-water tank properly

Make sure your hot-water tank is dressed correctly. A British Standard lagging jacket costs approx �10 and the insulation for the pipe leading to the hot-water tank from the boiler costs �3 a metre. The yearly saving on your bill is �15-20.

Tips - Bring a mug to work

Save waste at work - use a mug or glass for your drinks instead of disposable cups, and encourage your colleagues to do the same.

Tips - Real Nappy Week 2006

Real Nappy Week's 10th anniversary, from 24 - 30 April 2006, raises awareness about nappy waste prevention and celebrates with hundreds of events around the UK. Visit http://www.wen.org.uk/rnw/ to find out the environmental and health benefits of real nappies, as well as the financial savings compared with disposables. The website also includes a 'Nappy Finder' so that you can find your nearest real nappy retailer or laundry service - plus any incentives your local authority has to offer, including vouchers or free laundry trial services.

Tips - Advertise in your local shop

Want to find a good home for your unwanted goods, but your charity shop can't accept them? If you advertise items such as electrical goods, building materials or furniture as 'Free to a good home', it will save you the trouble of moving them and will keep them out of landfill. Make the most of your newsagent, post office or local shops by advertising in their window, and if there's a small charge, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're supporting a local business.

Tips - Reduce toxics in the home

When it's time for a spot of DIY, use water-based paints and choose those with the lowest VOC-rating (check product label). Try Auro Organic Paints http://www.auroorganic.co.uk, Ecos Paints http://www.ecospaints.com, the Green Shop http://www.greenshop.co.uk and Nutshell Natural Paints http://www.nutshellpaints.com.

Tips - Save with every flush

Add a water hippo to older toilet cisterns to save 3 litres every flush - this has a payback period of 8-12 weeks and could save you �20 a year on metered bills. They're available from most DIY stores - for more info, see http://www.hippo-the-watersaver.co.uk/ and http://waterwise.fortune-cookie.com/hippo-hotline/ A water-filled 2 litre plastic bottle could also be added to your cistern - but will need to be checked regularly to ensure it is not interfering with your flush lever. (Don't use a brick - they crumble and the dust can clog up working parts of your cistern). New dual or low-flush loos are 2-4 times as efficient at saving water, and are available from approx �180.

Tips - Re-use envelopes

Reduce waste by reusing envelopes. Simply cross out clearly the original address details and stamp, or use a label to stick over them. Alternatively, for just �2, you can buy Friends of the Earth's pad of 100 envelope re-use labels, printed on 100 per cent post-consumer waste. For more details, visit: http://www.foe.co.uk/pubsinfo/pubscat

Tips - Don't let cash leak out of your house

Plan ahead for the winter and check that your loft insulation is topped up. If you don't have any loft insulation at the moment, you could expect to see annual savings of �80-�100 for an outlay of �170 upwards if you do the work yourself or �220-�250 upwards if it's done professionally (using a three-bed, gas-heated semi as an example). If you are topping up insulation to the recommended depth of 250 mm, the cost is likely to be from �140 if you install it yourself (�200-�230 if done by a professional) and the savings �20-�30 a year.

Tips - Fridges

Help your fridge waste less energy - and save you money - by trying these tips. Dust down the coils at the back of the fridge - dusty coils can waste up to 30% extra electricity. Defrost your fridge regularly. Let food cool down properly before putting it in the fridge.

Tips - Put carrier bags to good use

If you have plenty of old plastic carrier bags, use them as bin liners, drainage systems at the bottom of plant pots and hanging baskets, or instead of bubble wrap when packing. See if your local charity shops would like any surplus bags, and get into the habit of taking a re-useable bag next time you go shopping, to avoid picking up more carriers.

Tips - Make recycling work

If there isn't a paper recycling scheme at work, set one up. To ensure success, make sure recycling bins are close to people's desks, so it's easier to recycle paper than throw it away. A quick scan through the phone directory should provide some numbers for recycling collectors, local waste paper merchants or national paper collection companies. As well as paper, many companies will recycle a range of other items too.

Tips - Buy recycled

Help create a demand for the stuff you recycle by buying products made with recycled materials. Visit http://www.recycledproducts.org.uk/ for more details including suppliers, many of which are high street names. There's over 3,000 products listed, from office stationery and wine glasses, to garden furniture, clothes and CD racks - and plenty more!

Tips - Office parties

Find out the nearest stockist of paper cups so you don't get tempted to buy plastic cups for office parties. Ideally use non-disposable cups, but if it isn't possible, paper cups are better than plastic.

Tips - Do you have to drive?

The Environmental Transport Association aims to raise awareness about the impact of excessive car use and help individuals and organisations to make positive changes in their travel habits. If you can't avoid the occasional car journey, read their Green Tips to help you reduce your impact on climate change - see http://www.eta.co.uk/greentips/

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Tips - A3 paper

Rather than recycling A3 sheets of paper from the office after they've only been used on one side, ask your local school or nursery if it would like them for children to draw on the back. Or see if any of your work colleagues have young children who can re-use the paper. Alternatively, use them instead of flipcharts in meetings.

Tips - Refillable pen

Instead of countless plastic biros, invest in a refillable fountain pen and a bottle of ink (not cartridges). Result - less plastic, nicer writing and people tend not to walk away with your pen.

Tips - Think before you print

A report by the government-funded Envirowise campaign, says that office paper consumption is rising by 20 per cent per year. Instead of creating the paperless office, technology means we print out more and more. On average each worker uses 50 sheets of A4 a day. So encourage your colleagues to print less by adding a message to your email signature, such as: Think before you print to save energy and paper. Do you really need to print this email? If you do, print it double sided.

Tips - Radiators

Summer is a good time to think about keeping warm in the winter months! While your radiators are switched off, put reflective material behind them - this will ensure heat is reflected back into your room and keep you toasty when the weather gets colder. You can buy radiator reflector foil from DIY stores (avoid those made from PVC), or you can make your own by wrapping tinfoil around cardboard.

Tips - Cut laundry costs

Anything that needs to be dry-cleaned will carry traces of tetrachlorethylene, sometimes called perchloroethylene, from the dry-cleaning process. Ideally remove these from the plastic when you get them home, hang up and air well (not in your bedroom). Exposure can cause dizziness, headaches and fatigue - the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as a probable carcinogen. By only buying machine-washable items, or experimenting with hand-washing on dry-clean items, you can protect your health and the environment - and cut your laundry costs.

Tips - Shut it

Avoid leaving fridge doors open. Each minute the door is open takes three minutes of energy to cool down again.

Tips - Avoid disposables

We're using an increasing number of disposable products - for example plastic razors, cups, paper towels, wipes, nappies, plastic bags - even disposable cameras. These generally involve the consumption of more resources and energy than the reusable alternative - and they often cost more in the long run too. Try to avoid disposables, and choose a less wasteful alternative.

Tips - Standby fuels climate change

Tonnes of greenhouse gases are pumped into the atmosphere every year by appliances left on standby in the UK. The energy used is equivalent to powering around 600,000 homes every year, and is a significant contribution to UK emissions of climate changing gases. How many appliances around your home are on standby? Switch them off when not in use (check it won't reset the memory) - and unplug chargers once appliances are charged up. Just think how much money you could save!

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Tips - Hunt out biofuels

Biofuels are renewable alternatives to petrol and diesel, produced from crops such as oil seed rape or sugar beet, and burning them results in lower emissions of climate-changing gases. Many cars can use biofuels with little or no modification to the engine, so ask your garage or find a filling station which already sells it - there are over 140 in the UK and the number is growing. See http://www.biodieselfillingstations.co.uk

Tips - Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is a great natural antiseptic and disinfectant. It's great for cleaning mould and mildew too - try a dilute mix of 3-4 drops in 2 litres of water (cold or hot). Soak mildewed items in this or spray on to trouble spots using a plant mister. Scrub, then rinse off.

Tips - Use altermative transport

Journeys less than two miles may be quicker and involve less hassle if you go by foot, bike or bus. If the kids are coming along, make use of buggy boards, scooters, skipping ropes, rollerskates and bikes. Don't buy all of those items - swap with neighbours!

Tips - Light up your life

Keep your electricity bills down by making the most of natural lighting and relying less on electric lights. Opt for pale-coloured walls, ceilings and floors, as well as mirrors, to reflect daylight. You can also encourage maximum light in through your windows by keeping ledges clutter-free, pull curtains back during the day and keep plants trimmed.

Tips - Recycling: bin or box?

Do you know exactly what you can and can't include in your recycling collection? Different councils collect different materials so log onto www.recyclenow.com and enter your postcode to get up-to-date information on your council's recycling. You can also use their map to find recycling sites that accept items you cannot recycle at home.

Tips - Turn it down

Current regulations recommend a temperature of 19 degrees for a house or flat. This is fine for living areas but way too hot for a bedroom where 15 degrees is sufficient and, in fact, will probably help you get a better sleep. Adjust the radiators in different rooms of your home to ensure a comfortable temperature. In rooms that you don't spend a lot of time in, turn the radiators down or off to reduce your energy consumption. And don't forget, when you go away on holiday, turn the thermostat down.

Tips - Reduce waste and energy consumption in the workplace

Contact Global Action Plan for advice on 020 7405 5633, or www.globalactionplan.org.uk.

Tips - Use software to reduce paper usage

visit www.software-partners.co.uk email: website_email@software-partners.co.uk phone: 01926 842998 for details of Fineprint which could save you 25% to 50% of your paper and toner usage.

Tips - Reduce unwanted Mail

Contact the Mail Preference service to remove your name from up to 95% of Direct Mail lists - visit http://www.mpsonline.org.uk to register.

Tips - Turn appliances off

Turn your appliances off if you aren't using them - items such as DVD players consume 85 percent of their total energy while on standby.

Tips - Fairtrade Fortnight - get involved

Fairtrade Fortnight lasts until 11th March - and there's plenty you can do to get involved, aside from buying Fairtrade tea and coffee. There's a whole range of goods available now - how about buying Fairtrade presents, like wine or cotton products? Get your workplace to buy Fairtrade. Bank with ethical banks like the Co-operative and Triodos which support Fairtrade. Find out more about what you can do at http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

Tips - Printer cartridges

Over 40 million printer cartridges go into UK landfill sites each year and this is increasing annually. Buying refilled cartridges are a good way to prevent this waste and are often cheaper than new ones. Cartidge World supply refilled cartridges and can refill your empty ones - see http://www.cartridgeworld.org There are also plenty of charity schemes around that benefit from recycling cartridges - see http://www.actionaidrecycling.org.uk/ or http://www.inkagain.co.uk/ If you're buying a new printer, opt for one that uses cartridges that can be refilled, or that can easily accept generic or refilled cartridges.

Tips - Save energy and save cash

Carry out a Home Energy Check to find out how to save energy and save cash. The online questionnaire takes a couple of minutes, and you'll be sent a free evaluation of the areas of your home where cost-saving, energy efficiency measures can be made - see http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/whatcan/hec/

Tips - Plastic bags

Eight billion plastic carrier bags are handed out in the UK each year - or over 134 for every one of us. But it's easy to find yourself down the shops without any other way of getting your groceries home. So keep a reuseable bag - or your stash of plastic bags - by the door so you remember to take a couple when you pop out. Ladies, keep a couple in your handbag, for those spontaneous retail moments! And don't forget to make a point of refusing bags at the shops. Read more about waste and recycling at: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/waste_and_recycling

ips - Drinking water

Buying bottled water costs you money, and the bottles generate unnecessary use of glass or plastic. Drink water from the tap instead - our water is much cleaner than it was 15 years ago thanks to EU laws, and is perfectly safe to drink. Alternatively, get a water filter - some manufacturers recycle the plastic cartridges in the water filters (see for example http://www.brita.co.uk ) - or you can buy water filters with fabric sachets to filter the water ( see http://www.naturalcollection.com ).

There are plenty of ways to cut emissions - and many will also save you cash. It's as easy as ABCO2.

Do one thing

Driving

Holidays

Food & drink

At home

Dinner time

Power

If you do just one thing

Support Friends of the Earth’s biggest ever campaign, The Big Ask. This urges the Government to introduce a Climate Change Bill to cut UK CO2 emissions by 3 per cent every year.



Driving

A small, fuel-efficient car is less polluting than a gas-guzzling 4x4 – and is cheaper to run as well.

 

Switch off the engine if you think you’ll be stationary for more than half a minute. Idling this long burns more fuel than it takes to restart the engine.

 

Avoid short car journeys whenever possible. Instead, walk or cycle and burn up some calories! Share the school-run with a roster of parents to cut congestion, reduce emissions and save on your fuel bill.

 

If you have a diesel engine, consider biodiesel Not only is it carbon-neutral, it also biodegrades 98% within three weeks. You can even make your own homebrew biodiesel - download instructions (PDF†format - 123K).



Holidays

Holiday in the UK. Amazing fact: one long-haul return flight can produce more carbon dioxide per passenger than the average UK motorist does in an entire year.

 

Hire bikes instead of a car if you’re exploring locally. Not only will this cut emissions, you’ll save money - and benefit from some exercise.



Food and drink

Cook with fresh, seasonal, locally grown produce. For your nearest farmers’ market, go to www.farmersmarkets.net.

 

Avoid buying endless bottles of water – it’s a plastic nightmare. Fill up an old one with tap water and take it with you everywhere. Or buy a hiker’s water bottle from a camping shop.

 

Use a toaster not the grill. It uses less energy.



At home

If it’s winter and the kids are wearing T-shirts turn the thermostat down by just one degree. This can save up to £30 a year on your heating bill. It will also make a real dent in your household’s emissions. Anyone cold can pull on a jumper.

 

An oldie but a goldie: insulate your loft. You can cut up to 20 per cent from your energy bill by installing good quality loft insulation.

 

Avoid wasted heat energy by timing your heating to go off 30 minutes before the school run starts, and come on again 30 minutes before you are all due home.

 

Only use a washing machine on full-load. Ninety per cent of the energy washing machines use is for heating the water. Switch to a cooler wash temperature: 40°C is usually adequate. Grubby whites can be pre-soaked to loosen dirt or use an eco-friendly stain remover.



Dinner time

Saucepans with lids on heat much quicker, thus using less energy (obvious really).

 

Get oven-wise. Don’t keep opening it to check food. This allows heat to escape, wastes energy and slows down cooking. Switch off a few minutes before your meal is ready. The oven will stay hot enough to finish cooking the food.

 

Recycle drinks cans. The energy saved by recycling one aluminium can is enough to run a TV for three hours.



Power

Count how many light bulbs are in your home. Now think what you’d save if they were all energy-efficient. One bulb uses less than 1/4 of the electricity of a standard model and can last up to 12 times longer. This will save you £10 a year on your electricity bill and more than £50 over the bulb’s lifetime.

 

Resist stand-by. If all UK households turned off their TVs at night instead of leaving them on standby, we would avoid emitting enough CO2 to fill the Millennium Dome 38 times each year.

 

Wash laundry loads on the low-temperature programme.

Read our Top tips to cut waste >

 

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

 

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

Image © freedigitalphotos.net

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Top tips to cut waste

Originally published in our supporter magazine Earthmatters, these tips on reducing waste proved an instant hit.

At home

In the office

Out & about

More from less

At home

If available, use your kerbside recycling scheme. Read how Friends of the Earth made this possible with the Household Waste Recycling Act.

Avoid disposable batteries. Use rechargeable ones with a solar powered recharger from the Natural Collection.

Cleaning the kitchen? Use cotton cloths - not disposable kitchen roll.

Recycle your old clothes by donating them to your local charity shop.

Buy reconditioned electrical appliances from organisations such as CREATE.

Recycle old TVs and fridges - buy a new one from Comet and they will collect your old one for recycling (£15 fee). Same goes for other white goods.

Take your empty cans to a Save-a-Can bank or visit the Steel Can Recycling Information Bureau.

Polyprint Mailing Films accept clean polythene wrappers and bags for recycling.

Stop mobile phone and printer cartridges going to landfill - recycle them through Oxfam, ActionAid or Rainforest Concern.

Reduce the amount of annoying junk mail pouring through your door - sign up with the free Mailing Preference Service.

Having a shower instead of a bath can save about 40 litres of water (avoid power showers though as they can use more water than baths). Install spray taps for new sinks, as they use less water than normal taps.

Old spectacles can be given to high-street opticians to be donated to people around the world.

Get a log maker from the Natural Collection to transform old newspapers into pulp logs, which will burn for up to an hour each.

To recycle your drink and Tetrapak cartons, send them to a mill for recycling. Download address labels (not freepost) and instructions from The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment.

Why not try eco-friendly sanitary products such as the reusable Mooncup.



In the office

Start a paper recycling scheme at work - for more info about community recycling, contact the Community Recycling Network.

Reduce waste and energy consumption in the workplace - contact Global Action Plan.

Only print when absolutely necessary.

If you do print, use both sides of the paper.

Use software such as FinePrint to reduce paper usage by up to 50%.

Turn off appliances such as PCs and TVs when not in use - and avoid leaving them on standby.

Don't throw away old computers - sell them (eBay) donate them (digital-links / donate-a-pc) or recycle them (wasteonline).

Does your company generate waste that could be used as craft resources for schools and youth groups? Find out more from the Children's Scrapstore.

If each of the UK's 10 million office workers used one less staple a day, that could save 120 tonnes of steel a year. To buy a stapleless stapler, contact the Natural Collection.

Install a roller towel at work instead of using disposable paper towels.

Unwanted CDs? Contact the Beacon Press which runs a recycling scheme.

Get a pad of 100 Friends of the Earth re-use envelope labels printed on paper made entirely from post-consumer waste for £2.50.

Stop subscribing to magazines that you don't have time to read (and save yourself a few quid) - your local library will probably stock a range of periodicals.

Vending cups can be recycled via the Save a Cup scheme. However, it's much

better to encourage your company to use reusable cups and glasses rather than disposables.



Out & about

Compost kitchen and garden waste. Contact your local council for details.

Avoid energy-hungry patio-heaters in the garden - put on an extra layer to keep warm.

Try candles for outdoor lighting in the evenings and save electricity. Citronella or beeswax candles will also keep insects away.

Use retreaded car tyres instead of buying new. For more info, contact the Retread Manufacturers Association.

If you have to use the car occasionally, reduce the environmental impact of your journey.

Save water by installing a water butt - and water your plants without turning on your hosepipe.



More from less

Refuse plastic carrier bags - keep a reuseable or cotton one handy when you go shopping.

Send e-cards instead of paper ones to save paper and cash.

Get fruit and veg from a local grocer or veggie box scheme instead of highly-packaged supermarket goods.

Buy refills and save money for products you use in large quantities eg washing powders, condiments, liquids etc.

Order fresh bottled milk from your milkman - glass bottles can be reused approx 20 times.

Making your own lunch instead of buying over- packaged snacks could save you more than £4 a day.

Join a toy library to borrow toys and give old ones to other families.

Don't buy. Hire videos and DVDs, and borrow books from a library.

Recycle old curtains or exchange them at The Curtain Exchange.

Join the 15 per cent of parents who now use cloth nappies for their babies; contact the Real Nappy Campaign.

Give cinema or concert tickets as gifts instead of disposable goods.

Clearing out the attic? Try selling your stuff rather than taking it to the dump. Check out online auction sites like eBay where you can donate a proportion of your sale to a charity of your choice - including Friends of the Earth.

Try reclamation yards, skips, auctions, and secondhand shops when doing DIY jobs.

Mend, re-upholster or restore old furniture before buying new.

Hire tools or borrow from friends or family for odd jobs, rather than buying your own. Donate unwanted tools to charities that send them to developing countries - visit Tools with a Mission or Tools for Self Reliance.

For more tips on reducing waste, buy Friends of the Earth's book Don't throw it all away >

Image © HomeRecycling

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No cost ways to save energy

These no-cost measures involve subtle changes to your habits which will soon become second nature.

Heating

Hot water

Cooking

Appliances

Refrigeration

Washing machines

Tumble dryers

Lighting

Heating

Turn the room thermostat down by 1 °C. This can save up to £30 a year.

Don't put curtains or furniture in front of a radiator - they will block the heat.

Pull on a jumper or warmer layers rather than turning the heating up.

Hot water

Some coffee shops refill mug-sized flasks. If you keep the flask (one-off price around £3.50) you don't need to keep chucking away all those paper cups.

Turn the thermostat on your hot-water tank down to 60 °C rather than add lots of cold water to your bath. Saving: £10 a year.

Put the plug in the basin or sink, especially when running hot water. Otherwise you are pouring money down the drain.

An ordinary shower uses only two-fifths of the water needed for a bath. Power showers use as much as a bath, and sometimes even more.

Cooking

Match the size of the ring to the size of the saucepan or you will be paying to heat air.

Put a lid on saucepans so the contents heat quicker and you use less energy.

Cook several different foods on one ring with a pressure cooker or steamer.

Microwaves save money because you don't waste energy heating containers or air.

Appliances

Switch off appliances such as microwaves, TVs, stereos and computers. 85% of the energy used by a DVD player is wasted when it is on standby. Saves up to £11 a year.

Unplug equipment once fully charged otherwise they keep drawing electricity.

Refrigeration

Avoid leaving fridge doors open. Each minute the door is open takes three minutes of energy to cool down again.

Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge. Allow it to cool first.

Defrost your fridge regularly to keep it running efficiently and cheaply. If it seems to frost up quickly, check the door seal.

Keep the freezer in a cool room or garage.

Washing machine and dishwasher

Wash laundry loads on the low-temperature programme.

Modern dishwashers use more detergent than hand washing. Choose a plant-based detergent.

Tumble dryers

In summer dry your clothes outside and enjoy the fresh smell that only comes from line-dried clothes.

Don't dry clothes on a radiator. It stops heat reaching the room, creates damp and encourages mould.

If you have to use a tumble dryer, don’t put really wet clothes inside. Wring them out or spin-dry them first.

Lighting

Mirrors and light-coloured walls reflect daylight, making maximum use of natural light.

De-clutter window ledges to get the most daylight in your home. Pull curtains back during the day and keep plants trimmed so they don’t block incoming light.

This is an extract from Save cash & save the planet.

Energy efficiency - how do you measure up? Try the BBC's quiz.

Get advice from other organisations on energy efficiency.

Image © Bananastock

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