Green tenants: Tips to save energy and money
You would think that being green if you don't own your own house can be difficult - you can't install wood-burning stoves or a wind turbine or turn the garden over to vegetables, if indeed you have a garden. But it's not all about the big things.
Here are a few very simple tips to show you what you can do, even in rented accommodation, to make a difference to the environment and your pocket...
Heating
- Programme your heating system to run on minimum at nights and when you're out of your home (15C is sufficient).
- A reasonable temperature for homes is regarded as 19C, although what is comfortable will vary from person to person. (I have turned mine to 18C in the morning and 17C in the evening.)
- In our tiny living room, whenever we cook, the temperature rises by one or two degrees C. If you cook every day, you may want to take this into consideration when programming the heating system.
- Turn the heating to water heating only as soon as the weather is warm enough. You can always restart the central heating if the weather turns colder.
- Turn your heating to a low setting if you are going on holidays when it is really cold outside, to prevent pipes freezing. You may want to consider turning it off if there is no chance of freezing whilst you are away, but if freezing is at all possible, I'd leave it ticking over.
Cooking
- Find local/ethical suppliers who can provide you with groceries at a reasonable price.
- Test the value for money of your local vegetable box scheme.
- Is there a quicker/more economical way of cooking your meal? For example, I know of an excellent stove-top rice pudding recipe that takes only about 20 minutes to cook.
- If you need boiling water for a recipe, boil it in the kettle and then pour it in the pan. For large amounts of water, you can start the pan with a small amount of cold water whilst the kettle is doing its job.
- If you find yourself with a glut of fresh produce, and you have enough storage space, consider preserving these foods yourself. For example, in our tiny kitchen, I preserved half a marrow - 5 small glass jars worth - in curried vinegar. As detailed in our October newsletter.
- If you need to use the oven you may want to plan ahead and cook several items at the same time. Or use the heat of the cooling oven to help raise bread dough.
- You will find plenty more tips on The Big Green Idea website
Energy
- Turn all appliances off at the switch when not in use. That includes your telly, computer, etc.
- Don't leave chargers plugged in at the wall when not in use, or use solar chargers (check suppliers' websites for more details).
- Can you unplug/turn off at the switch your alarm clock when you're on holidays?
- Can you change your light bulbs to energy-efficient ones?
- Consider using rechargeable batteries for your battery-operated items. And invest in a battery charger!
- You may want to check how much energy your washing-machine uses when in standby...and if possible turn it off at the switch as well!
- Turn the pre-heat water on a few minutes before doing the washing up/shaving (men) and turn it off straight away afterwards. It will save a lot of money on your energy bill.
Transport
- Is public transport readily available where you live? It will cost less than owning a car, if that is an option for you.
- Can you walk to the shop/to work rather than taking your car? Excellent for the body and soul!
- There may be special prices for train/bus travel available in your area, especially at weekends. (There are some in Devon if you travel within the county boundaries.)
- Can you safely cycle to work?
Shopping
Ask yourself:
- Do you really need to buy what you are buying?
- Has it been produced in an ethical way?
- Is it heavily processed/ were chemicals used intensively in its manufacture?
- Has it been transported a long distance from its place of origin?
- Is there another option?
- Can you buy it second hand? Would you? (You don't have to!!)
- But do allow yourself some treats!
By Anne-Christine
17 Oct 08
