Reduce Your Energy Bills

It's been all over the news today – the UK is officially the biggest energy waster in Europe. Our worst habits are leaving mobile phone chargers, appliances (like the TV, DVD, HiFi) on standby and leaving lights on when not in a room. I heard quotes this morning of "savings of £300 in a year" which is significant but is probably the sum total of my own electricity bill.

I carried out an energy saving exercise earlier this year to see what difference I could make to my own usage and saved an average of 15% from one week to another on gas, electricity and water usage just through making a few simple changes and being more aware of switching things off and using less. That was in the summer and would save me over £70 a year.

I'm a careful user anyway - have low voltage bulbs, switch off lights and carry out all the usual energy saving tips. How much more could a family of four save in a year? All those mobile phone chargers, TVs, DVD players, iPods, computers, laptops ....

What would 15-25% of your annual utility bills be and would that be a worthwhile saving to you or is money really no object?

Here are a few tips:

· Don’t leave appliances on standby – switch them off! TVs, DVDs, video recorders. Save about £40 a year.
· Unplug mobile phone and MP3 chargers – this could save enough electricity to power 115,000 homes.
· Switch off the computer at the end of the day, switch off monitors, printers, scanners when not in use.
· Change to energy efficient light bulbs and switch off lights when leaving a room.
· Wash clothes at lower temperatures and save 40% less energy. Avoid using a tumble dryer.
· Turn your thermostat down by 1C and save 10% on your heating bill.

What could you do this week to reduce your energy bills, save yourself money and reduce your impact on the environment?