The Oracle

Working together for a greener planet.

Top tips

Don’t leave appliances on standby. Gadgets left on standby are responsible for 4m tonnes of excess carbon dioxide each year. It’s estimated that a UK household could save £37 per year on electricity bills if they always fully switched home appliances off rather than leaving them on standby.
Only boil as much water as you need. Most people don't look at the volume indicator on the side of their kettle, often resulting in them boiling far more water than they actually need. Referring to this measure can help you to accurately determine the amount of liquid necessary.
Switch off lights when a room is not in use. The less time you spend with the lights on, the more energy you save. A normal bulb will use 60 watts of energy an hour, meaning that you could conserve nearly 22,000 watts of energy per year by just switching off one bulb for one hour every day.
Switch appliances with power packs or adapters off at the plug. A home with 10 power packs/adapters constantly plugged in around the clock could easily be using up to 360 KWh of energy in a year, enough to keep an energy efficient light bulb burning constantly for just over two years.
Foil-back your radiators to reflect heat back into room. Fitting aluminium foil behind radiators is a very cheap way of conserving heat, as the foil reflects the warmth back into the room.
Recycle your household waste. Find out where your local recycling facilities are and what materials can be recycled there. Start by looking around places where you regularly visit, such as supermarkets or schools.
Kill your car engine when you’re not moving. Break the habit of keeping the engine ticking over in your car when youre not actually moving anywhere.
Put on a jumper rather than just turning up the thermostat. If your house starts to feel chilly put on a jumper rather than turning up the heating. Or, if you think you may be overheating your house, turn down the thermostat and try warm clothing instead.
Switch to low-energy light bulbs. Low-energy light bulbs use up to 75% less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb while still emitting the same level of lighting.
Dry your clothes outdoors when you can. If the weather's looking pleasant, dry your clothes on a line outside. Even if the weather is being typically British, you can still avoid the tumble dryer by finishing off your wet washing indoors.
Cut back on your banking paperwork. Look to reduce the frequency with which the statements are sent to you. Better still, look to cancel your paper statements altogether and manage all your account finances via an online banking service.
Cut back on your carrier bag usage when you’re out shopping. Polythene plastic bags are hazardous to manufacture and are reported to take up to 500 years to decompose. Carrying one large canvas bag is much easier than trying to transport seven small plastic ones.