Cheap and Easy Ways To Be Greener

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Doing your bit for the environment needn’t be boring and expensive. Here are Frost’s top tips.

1) Always turn lights off when you leave the room.
2) Don’t leave appliances on standby and don’t leave things plugged in when not in use. A TV on standby uses 40% of the energy it does when it’s switched on.
3) Only boil as much water as you need.
4) Have a bag for life. Always refuse plastic bags when shopping. They are not just bad for the environment, they also kill animals and wreck ocean life.
5) Turn the thermostat down. You can cut your heating bills by up to 10% by turning the thermostat down by 1C.
6) Fix leaking taps and don’t leave the water running when brushing your teeth.
7) Replace old light bulbs with new, energy-efficient ones. This will save you around £37 a year on your bill. The old ones are being phased out anyway.
8) Buy less stuff. Really, consuming less is the best thing you can do for the environment. I always get depressed when I walk past somewhere like Primark and see all their cheap clothes that will last for a few months and then go to a landfill site. Make a stand.
9) Invest in draught excluders, get your heating checked by a professional and fit a central heating thermostat so you can only heat rooms that you are in. Any expense will quickly be recouped.
10) Use eco-friendly paints when decorating. There is a range of natural paint free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are known to cause allergies. They are non-toxic, made from renewable sources and avoid issues with damp.
11) Subscribe to The Ecologist. It’s cheap, you get a free gift and it will have lots of articles and advice on how to live a green life.

Do you have any tips on being greener? Add them below.