Your planet: It's easy to do your bit...

Would you like to make your life-style a little more eco-friendly? Donnacadh McCarthy offers a selection of simple tips

Tuesday, 20 September 2005

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ENSURE THAT YOUR ROOF IS PROPERLY INSULATED
Installing loft insulation for a three-bedroom, semi-detached home costs about the same as a cheap washing machine. British Gas estimates that proper insulation will pay for its installation costs in saved energy in two-and-a-half years.

IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRIC HOT-WATER TANK, ENSURE THAT IT HAS A GOOD QUALITY LAGGING-JACKET

Your electric hot-water cylinder will be one of the largest energy users in your home. They use between 3,000 and 9,000 watts per hour. A lagging jacket cuts up to 75 per cent of your hot-water costs, as the energy is retained as hot water rather than lost to the air.

USE ENERGY-SAVING BULBS IN ALL RELEVANT LIGHT SOCKETS

These bulbs use one-fifth of the energy of old fashioned incandescent bulbs and last up to ten times longer. The expense of buying the actual bulbs is soon offset by the savings.

INSTALL RADIATOR REFLECTOR FOIL BEHIND YOUR RADIATORS

This reflects the heat you pay for back into the room, rather than wasting it outside.

OFFSET YOUR INDIVIDUAL CO₂ EMISSIONS BY MAKING AN INDIVIDUAL DONATION TO A CO₂ OFFSET PROGRAMME SUCH AS CLIMATE CARE

This service means that you can calculate how much CO₂ would be used in, for example, your return flight from London to Los Angeles - about 2.6 tons of CO₂ per person emitted. There is usually an easy-to-use calculator on the offset programme's website. You can then pay a donation to be invested in reducing that amount of CO₂ from the environment through tree planting, energy efficiency or renewable energy schemes online. Check online for local schemes.

DO NOT LEAVE OUTSIDE LIGHTS ON UNNECESSARILY

After all, the cat can see in the dark, so why waste lighting when no one is there?

SWITCH YOUR HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICITY SUPPLY TO A RENEWABLE SUPPLIER

The renewable electricity supply company Good Energy was judged the best renewable-electricity supplier in the UK by Friends of the Earth for two years in a row. All I had to do to sign up was fill in my account details from my old supplier online, and Good Energy did the rest. They charge a 10 per cent premium on non-renewable energy, which works out at a couple of packets of crisps per week for the average family. I think this is a bargain for a clear conscience about where one's electricity is coming from.

CHECK OUT WITH YOUR MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER TO SEE IF A SAVAPLUG IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR FRIDGE

This is a small gadget that sends power to the fridge in short bursts, rather than continuously, and can save up to 20 per cent of your fridge's annual running costs. You put your fridge plug into the Savaplug, which then plugs into the wall socket.

FILL THE ELECTRIC KETTLE ONLY WITH THE NUMBER OF MUGS OF WATER THAT YOU ARE LIKELY TO USE

To boil the water for one cup of coffee takes my 2,400 watt kettle one minute. To boil a full kettle (equivalent to nine mugs of coffee) takes it five-and-a-half minutes. The energy wasted boiling the unwanted water is enough to run an energy saving light bulb for nine hours.

USE THE APPROPRIATE TEMPERATURE ON YOUR WASHING MACHINE

Many people wash their coloured clothes at too high a temperature. This not only wastes energy but fades the colours faster. A wash at 60°C uses over 30 per cent more electricity than a wash at 40°C. Water that is at a temperature of 30-40°C is more than hot enough for coloured clothes.

DON'T BUY TOO MANY WHITE CLOTHES AND BED LINEN

These need very high temperatures to get them shining white and often require some form of bleaching which colours do not.

USE A NATURAL OPTION RATHER THAN A TUMBLE DRYER IF AT ALL POSSIBLE

Tumble dryers are one of the highest energy consumers among domestic appliances. Dry clothes outdoors if you can, or indoors using a clothes-horse and allow them to dry in their own time a safe distance from the radiator.

TURN OFF THE OVEN TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE FOOD IS DUE TO BE COOKED

The heat in the oven will finish the cooking.

DO NOT LEAVE APPLIANCES WITH REMOTE CONTROLS ON STAND-BY

It is estimated that 5 to 15 per cent of household electricity consumption worldwide is wasted on stand-by mode. Over £150 million worth of electricity is wasted each year in the UK simply keeping televisions and VCRs on stand-by. If we could eliminate this waste, we could close over one in 20 electricity power stations in the UK - and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Developement (OECD) estimates that more than two out of every hundred power stations in western Europe could be closed if stand-by electricity wastage was eliminated.

TURN OFF YOUR MOBILE PHONE CHARGER AT THE WALL WHEN YOU'RE NOT USING IT

Many such chargers still draw electricity even when not charging. Check with your manufacturer. If it uses five watts an hour and is left on unnecessarily all year round, it can use up to 42 kilowatt hours per year.

SET THE THERMOSTAT AT A LEVEL WHERE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE IN WINTER WITH A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF CLOTHES ON - AROUND 17 TO 19°C

Each degree you lower the temperature will save around five per cent of your heating costs. Consider wearing more clothes.

NEXT TIME YOU BUY A CAMERA MAKE SURE IT'S DIGITAL

This avoids the toxic chemicals involved in film processing, and saves the cost of more than two glasses of wine for each film you used to purchase and develop.

CAREFULLY OPEN THE PLASTIC WRAPPERS MAGAZINES AND OTHER PRODUCTS COME IN AND RE-USE THEM AS FREEZER OR SANDWICH BAGS

Why buy such bags when they are sent to you free?

CUT SCRAP PAPER INTO A SUITABLE SIZE FOR A NOTEPAD AND STICK THEM TOGETHER WITH A STAPLE OR FIND A BOX TO HOLD THEM IN A CONVENIENT PLACE

You should never buy notepaper for notes around the house.

RATHER THAN BUYING THEM, HIRE DVD'S, VIDEOS AND CDS; OR SEE IF YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY LENDS THEM; OR SIMPLY DOWNLOAD THEM

Good for your pocket as well as the environment's.

IF YOU DO NEED TO BUY NEW PRODUCTS FOR YOUR HOME, SEE IF THERE ARE GOOD-QUALITY ONES AVAILABLE SECOND-HAND

There generally are. Check the classified section of your paper or notice boards in libraries and outside shopping centres, as well as websites such as eBay.com. As well as finding a cheaper product, you will be helping to reduce the number of products that are dumped unnecessarily because of a lack of a second-hand market.

THINK SERIOUSLY WHETHER YOU REALLY NEED TO HAVE A NEW PET

Every year, the UK produces approximately 2,816,000,000 empty tins of cat food alone. More than a fifth of the world's tuna catch goes into catfood.

SIGN UP WITH A SERVICE THAT REMOVES YOU FROM JUNK MAIL DATABASES

In the UK you can simply register online at www.fpsonline.org.uk

ENSURE YOUR WASHING MACHINE AND DISHWASHER ARE FULL BEFORE USING

Why waste up to 70 litres of water and a kWh of electricity to wash one garment?

AVOID UNNECESSARY PACKAGING WHEN SHOPPING

Whether it's fruit, vegetables, meat or clothes, choose the option with least or no packaging. This will not only reduce the amount of waste leaving your home but will save the resources and pollution involved in manufacturing unnecessary packaging in the first place. Your spending power also communicates itself to the manufacturers, who will see that there is a market for "less wrapped" products. And your shopping becomes easier to carry.

BUY A STRONG, REUSABLE SHOPPING BAG RATHER THAN USING PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS

It is estimated that nearly 750 billion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. The vast majority end up in landfill sites. Buying a reusable one involves a small initial financial cost, but it eliminates that mountain of used plastic bags that accumulates in the back of our cupboards.

BEFORE BUYING SOMETHING, ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY WANT, AND IF YOU WOULDN'T RATHER SPEND THE MONEY ON AN EXPERIENCE INSTEAD, SUCH AS AN ACUPUNCTURE SESSION

Buying an experience rather than a product eliminates the need for the raw materials used in its production and packaging.

TRY TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MEAT YOU EAT IF YOU'RE NOT VEGETARIAN

It takes six times the amount of land to feed a meat eater than it does to feed a vegetarian. Every kilogram of beef costs on average: 50-100,000 litres of water, 5,900 joules of energy, 145kg of topsoil loss, 40kg of manure, 11.5kg of CO2 equivalent, 10kg grain, 200mg of antibiotics and a range of pesticides. Other meats leave large environmental footprints too. Every little bit you cut down as a meat-eater really does help the environment. And bear in mind that the average meat consumption per person per annum in Nigeria is 6.4kg, in China 23kg, in Canada 65kg and in the US95 kg. In the UK, it is 54kg.

BUY ONLY GM-FREE FOODS

This helps protect the rights of future generations to eat GMfree food and reduces the risks to the future of our environment.

BUY LOCALLY-PRODUCED FOOD

This reduces the contribution food miles make to global warming and helps to create a market for organic, locally produced foods.

EAT LESS FISH; OR, IF YOU DO EAT FISH, AVOID THE PARTICULAR SPECIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING PARTICULARLY OVER-EXPLOITED

Many of these - such as Atlantic swordfish, wild Atlantic salmon and North Sea cod - take a long time to reach breeding age and so stocks have been decimated very rapidly. By not buying them, you are helping to give them a chance to recover in the wild.

ALSO TRY TO AVOID FISH SUCH AS TUNA THAT INVOLVE THE DEATH OF A WHOLE RANGE OF OTHER UNWANTED FISH AND SEA MAMMALS

It is now estimated that over 26-million tons of unwanted species of fish and other sea creatures are captured annually in fishing nets and thrown back overboard dead.

JOIN AN ORGANIC BOX SCHEME AND HAVE MIXED BAGS OF ORGANIC FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND OTHER ORGANIC PRODUCE DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME

You should be able to find a scheme that suits you on the internet. Weekly delivery prices for a mixed box start at around the cost of a nice bottle of wine.

IF YOU ARE ADDICTED TO CANNED SOFT DRINKS, TRY SWITCHING TO CONCENTRATED BOTTLED JUICE. THERE ARE EVEN ORGANIC OPTIONS, MANY OF WHICH ARE REALLY DELICIOUS

They cost far less, are healthier, are better for the environment (no aluminium cans) and will even reduce the weight of your shopping.

DRINK TAP WATER INSTEAD OF BOTTLED WATER

If your household consumes two litre bottles per week, ceasing to do so for a year will save enough money to buy a couple of new pairs of jeans, not to mention the 104 non-biodegradable plastic bottle mountain that would otherwise be left behind.

REPAIR YOUR CLOTHES AND SHOES RATHER THAN THROWING THEM AWAY

This saves money and the environment. Shoes can often be resoled or re-heeled and last up to another year for a fraction of the cost of a new pair of shoes.

IF BUYING A NEW VACUUM CLEANER, ENSURE YOU BUY A BAGLESS MODEL

By the time the machine wears out, you will have saved enough on disposable and environmentally unfriendly bags to pay for a new vacuum cleaner.

AVOID BUYING CLOTHES THAT NEED TO BE DRY-CLEANED

The solvent used in most dry-cleaning establishments is perchloroethylene which is toxic.

USE LESS COSMETICS

The less you wear means less pollution will arise from its formulation, less packaging will get dumped and the more money you'll have for things that are good for you. Try having one cosmetic-free day a week and see how it feels.

DON'T BUY ANY UNSUSTAINABLY-PRODUCED MAHOGANY

Often over an acre of precious habitat-rich rainforest is destroyed to get at one mahogany tree.

DO NOT BUY ANY UNCERTIFIED RAINFOREST PRODUCTS FOR YOUR HOME

International certification schemes such as the FSC ensure that the wood that you buy is from sustainable sources and is not the result of rainforest or ancient woodland destruction.

USE ORGANIC PAINTS IN PREFERENCE TO OIL-BASED CHEMICAL PAINTS

Organic white paint costs about twice the price of chemical-based paints per litre, but as the paint is only required every four years or so it is worth the extra amount to ensure you are not breathing in noxious fumes any time you occupy the room being painted.

DON'T BUY BIN-BAGS FOR RUBBISH - USE OLD PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS INSTEAD

This saves money as well as reducing the use of petrochemicals in plastic bag manufacture.

RECYCLE ALL YOUR TIN CANS, PLASTIC BOTTLES, OLD CLOTHES, GLASS, PAPER, CARD ETC

This can reduce your waste stream by up to nearly two-thirds.

RECYCLE YOUR OLD MOBILE PHONE

Over 100 million mobile phones are thrown away each year in the US and over 2 million in the UK. Check on the web for local schemes.

RECYCLE YOUR OLD CLOTHES, SHEETING ETC

If they are not good enough for the charity shop, drop them off at a charity-recycling collection point if one is available. They are able to reuse the fibres as a raw material for other products if the clothing itself isn't good enough to be sold.

COMPOST ALL KITCHEN AND GARDEN WASTE AND THEN USE YOUR OWN COMPOST RATHER THAN ARTIFICIAL FERTILISERS FOR YOUR GARDEN Using compost instead of bought fertilisers saves not only money but also the pollution involved in a trip to the garden centre and the unnecessary transport involved in removing your waste from your home by garbage trucks. Even if you don't have access to your own garden, a tiger-worm compost bin will fit in your kitchen, and the soil they magically produce can be donated to a suitable local, green open space.

DON'T WATER YOUR LAWN

Grass only needs watering if there is a really prolonged drought, and even then only once a week.

USE THE COMPOST FROM YOUR OWN COMPOST HEAP RATHER THAN ARTIFICIAL FERTILISERS

This saves you from spending money on potting compost.

SWITCH TO ORGANIC GARDENING METHODS, WHICH DO NOT USE CHEMICAL WEED-KILLERS

Organic methods are just as good - and save you money.

DON'T BUY PEAT MOSS AS A GARDEN FERTILISER OR FOR YOUR POTTING PLANTS

It may be natural, but peat moss is produced from precious yet fast-disappearing wetland wildlife habitats. There are plenty of other organic alternatives on the market to choose from (in addition your own home-made household/garden compost), while peat-free compost can be bought for almost exactly the same price as the habitat-destructive peat moss.

DON'T BUY CUT FLOWERS

The cut flower industry is often a source of very heavy herbicide use due to the vast unnatural monoculture of single flower varieties. This causes severe health problems for many workers in the industry. Much of these flowers are flown in from great distances causing heavy transport emissions. Producing your own flowers saves you money too, as bunches of flowers can vary in cost from a pint of beer to four or five bottles of wine.

AVOID DISPOSABLE RAZORS: USE A TRADITIONAL ONE WITH REPLACEMENT BLADES

A mainstream brand of blade costs a little less than a disposable razor.

USE A SHAVING BRUSH INSTEAD OF FOAM SPRAY CANS<

A shaving brush can be bought for a little bit more than a single can of shaving foam but can last a lifetime. It takes 30 seconds to brush up a lather with a piece of soap, and the shave is every bit as good.

USE COTTON NAPPIES INSTEAD OF DISPOSABLE ONES

Three billion nappies are disposed of a year in the UK: that's over four per cent of our total waste. Fourteen billion disposable nappies are dumped every year in the US. There is a new generation of cloth nappies that are made to fit babies snuggly and use velcro instead of pins, with disposable liners that can be flushed down the lavatory. Organic cotton nappies each cost about ten times as much as a disposable nappy but can be used over and over, whereas the disposable nappies can be used only once and remain almost forever in a landfill. It is estimated that you can save approximately the price of a new washing machine for each child by switching from disposable to reusable nappies.

USE A REUSABLE SANITARY PRODUCT SUCH AS THE RUBBER MOONCUP

This is worn internally and forms a seal with the lining of the vaginal wall. It can hold up to a third of the monthly flow, which can then be emptied, washed and replaced until your period ends. You simply empty it the same number of times that you usually replace your tampons or sanitary pads. It costs about the equivalent of three bottles of wine and last up to ten years. The company supplying them offers a full refund if you are not happy with the product.

IF BUYING TAMPONS, TRY AND BUY THE NEW RANGES OF TAMPONS MADE FROM 100-PER-CENT-ORGANIC COTTON, MANY OF WHICH AVOID THE USE OF CHLORINE BLEACH

Organic tampons can currently cost nearly twice as much as regular ones, but as well as helping to tackle the awful pollution involved in cotton growing, you are also avoiding putting pesticide-grown materials into your body.

DON'T LEAVE THE TAP RUNNING WHEN YOU ARE WASHING...

If you leave the tap running for five minutes, you can waste more than 50 litres; whereas half a sinkful, when with a plug, would only use about eight litres.

... OR WHILE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH

You can wash your teeth perfectly hygienically with 0.02 litres of water, rather than the eight litres you could use if you leave the tap running for the entire process. Annual saving: up to 5,200 litres per annum per person.

HAVE A SHOWER RATHER THAN A BATH

An average three-minute shower using 30 litres of water, a bath anything between 80 and 200 litres. So the annual difference for a household of four could be as much as 240,000 litres.

AVOID THE INSTALLATION OF POWER-SHOWERS

These use up to twice as much water as a normal shower, with the added cost of energy used for heating the water.

CHECK TO SEE HOW MUCH WATER YOUR TOILET USES FOR EACH FLUSH

Many older and some modern models use up to 30 per cent more than is needed - some use up to nine litres per flush, whereas seven litres is plenty A simple way to solve this is to put a brick gently into the cistern, making sure that you do not interfere with the mechanical workings. This can save more than 3,500 litres per annum per person.

ALWAYS BUY RECYCLED TOILET PAPER. USING PRECIOUS VIRGIN PAPER SIMPLY TO CLEAN OUR BOTTOMS IS REALLY NOT NECESSARY

In my local supermarket recycled luxury toilet-paper costs slightly less than the toilet paper made from virgin paper, although the price differential differs from shop to shop. You often have to read the small print though to find out the source of the paper. By buying recycled loo-paper, you are helping to create a market for the paper that you recycle. There is no point in recycling if there is no market for the goods collected.

FOR THE RARE TIMES WHEN YOU REALLY NEED A LIQUID LAVATORY CLEANER, BUY AN ENVIRONMENTALLY-RESPONSIBLE BRAND. THE SAME APPLIES TO SINK-CLEANING MATERIALS

These can cost roughly twice as much as a supermarket brand, but as you only have to buy them occasionally, it is a relatively low price for a clear conscience. Eco-friendly brands often use lemon juice as a base, which is obviously biodegradable and definitely non-toxic.

SWITCH YOUR COMPUTER OFF IF GOING FOR LUNCH AND ENSURE THAT THE PHOTOCOPIERS AND PRINTERS ETC ARE ALL SWITCHED OFF BEFORE GOING HOME AT NIGHT - AND, EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, AT WEEKENDS A low-energy PC, used properly, can be run for one sixth of the cost of a normal machine running 24 hours a day.

TURN YOUR MONITOR OFF MANUALLY WHEN NOT USING YOUR PC RATHER THAN USING THE SCREEN SAVER

Screen savers aren't designed to be energy savers; instead they ensure that your screen doesn't get damaged by one image being burnt on to it by being left static too long. Screen savers generally only reduce electricity use by 10 watts - ie down from the 120 watts the normal cathode ray screen uses to 110 watts. Regular stand-by if activated properly uses about 30 watts, but turning the monitor off manually saves the full 120 watts.

BUY REFILLED PRINTER CARTRIDGES - IF NO ONE BUYS THE RECYCLED PRODUCT NO ONE WILL BOTHER COLLECTING THE EMPTY ONES

All recycling schemes need people to buy the end product as well as actually recycling them in the first place. Both refilled bubble jet and laser cartridges are available. Most companies supplying these offer a guarantee for top quality printing.

ASK YOUR COMPANY TO CHOOSE A PENSION POLICY THAT HAS ENVIRONMENTAL AND ETHICAL OPTIONS

This ensures that your money is invested in companies that are environmentally responsible. It is a bit silly ensuring that your own lifestyle is saving the environment if you then help fund companies who are busily damaging it.

CUT DOWN ON CAR JOURNEYS - ESPECIALLY SHORT ONES, SUCH AS DRIVING A COUPLE OF HUNDRED METRES DOWN THE ROAD FOR A BOTTLE OF MILK. CYCLE OR WALK INSTEAD

Saves money, and is better for your health and for the environment.

IF YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR CAR TO TRAVEL TO WORK, SET UP A CAR-SHARING ARRANGEMENT WITH OTHER PEOPLE UNDERTAKING THE SAME JOURNEY

This not only saves between 50 and 75 per cent of petrol costs and reduces maintenance costs, but it also reduces the amount of emissions per person per journey and reduces traffic congestion.

IF YOU DRIVE YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL, SEE IF THERE IS A WALKING OR CYCLING "BUS SCHEME" IN YOUR AREA. IF THERE ISN'T, ENCOURAGE YOUR SCHOOL TO SET ONE UP

These are schemes in which trained parents collect kids from various homes and walk or cycle them safely to school on a rota instead of using a number of polluting and congestion-causing vehicles.

DRIVE MORE EFFICIENTLY

A car at 50 mph uses 30 per cent less fuel than a car going at 70 mph. That is a significant saving in petrol costs per long journey.

TURN YOUR CAR ENGINE OFF IF YOU ARE STOPPING FOR A MINUTE OR LONGER

Saves petrol and stops polluting the local street where you are stopped.

WALK, CYCLE OR USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WHEN ON HOLIDAY

You will be able to appreciate the area's beauty far more this way than if you are whizzing by in a car, and you will save money.

ONLY TRAVEL BY AIR WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. WHEN HOLIDAYING ABROAD, TRAVEL BY TRAIN INSTEAD; WHERE FEASIBLE, HAVE YOUR BREAK IN BRITAIN INSTEAD

Aircraft currently account for less than 4 per cent of global climate crisis emissions, but they are the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gases and within 10 years the figure is expected to exceed 12 per cent. Since most of the world's population currently never flies, this means that, for us Westerners, flying accounts for a huge part of our carbon pollution. For example: one return flight to Japan would emit 2.8 tons, whereas a two car UK household on average emits 12.5 tons per annum.

IF YOU DO HAVE TRAVEL BY PLANE, CONSIDER PLANTING OR PAYING FOR PLANTING A TREE FOR EACH JOURNEY YOU TAKE

There are now travel companies that will do this automatically for you. The new trees will help lock up the CO₂ released by your journey. Every 1000km flown emits approximately 250kg of CO₂ per person.

Adapted from "Saving the Planet Without Costing the Earth: 500 Simple Steps to a Greener Lifestyle", by Donnachadh McCarthy (Vision Paperbacks, £11.99). To order a copy for the special price of £10.50, p&p included, telephone 08700 798 897. Donnachadh McCarthy is a freelance environmental auditor and green lifestyle coach. Email: contact@donnachadh-mccarthy.co.uk

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