Is it really rubbish?

Next time you're about to throw something in the bin, stop and look at it: is there any way it can be re-used or recycled? If it's food, the likelihood is that it can probably be composted. Glass, paper, white envelopes, magazines, cardboard, old clothes.. these can all be recycled. If it's an object that someone else might find useful, join your local Freecycle group and see if someone else will come and take it away!

Is there a Freecycle group operating in your area? Chances are the answer is yes! Freecycle is a highly successful - and constantly growing - non-profit network linking people who need things with people who have things to offer. As the name implies all transactions are free from the hindrance of finance - everything changes hands for no money! See if there is a Shropshire network near you (www.freecycle.org/groups/unitedkingdom/#Shropshire) or visit the Freecycle homepage at www.freecycle.org.

Switch off lights

Seems obvious, doesn't it? However it's amazing how many people leave lights on when they are not in a room and won't be for some time. Walk down any street at night and you're bound to find at least one house that's lit up like a Christmas tree! Leaving lights on is a terrible waste of electricity and, more to the point for some people, costs money. So if you're not doing it for environmental reasons you could at least think about your wallet!

Use energy saving lightbulbs

Not expensive -as people still seem to think - and brilliant! There are different types for different lights (not just the tall ones that immediately spring to mind) and, like turning off unused lights, will save you money. 11 watt energy saving lightbulbs burn as brightly as normal 100 watt bulbs and should last well in excess of six years. This is pretty impressive, don't you think? Some people may argue that they have normal bulbs that have lasted far longer but consider the monetary implications:

According to the Centre of Alternative Technology the average energy saving lightbulb will, over its lifetime (if it only lasts 6 years), leave you better off by about 30 pounds. That may not seem like much but, when you consider the number of lightbulbs in your house, that could be a substantial saving. If you have only ten bulbs in your house the saving could be more than £300 pounds, which is £50 a year!

If every US home changed their five most used light fittings to energy efficient lightbulbs, they'd save around 3.2 billion pounds and reduce greenhouse gasses by around half a million tons (The Independent, 3rd July 2006).

How many bulbs in your house could be helping the environment and saving you 30 pounds each?

Envelopes with windows

These are a pain because they can't be recycled - the plastic window bit is a problem. But, rather than simply throwing them in the bin, simply tear out the window and put the rest of the envelope to be recycled! If you're feeling gumptious, contact your bank and ask them why they continue to use these horrible windowed envelopes - couldn't they use plain ones with your address printed on the outside instead..?

Turn off radiators

If it's cold we want the heating on, so why turn the radiators off?! Do we really need the heating on in every room? If you've got a small house then yes; you probably do, but if you're lucky enough to live in a bigger house with rooms that aren't used all the time, turn off the radiators in those rooms!

Radiator reflection

Fitting a piece of aluminium foil behind a radiator can save you money and improve heating effectiveness: it reflects heat back into the room, rather than out through the wall. If your wall is insulated, so much the better!

Wear another layer

Feeling slightly cold in the house? Try putting on a jumper instead of turning the heating on.

Drop that thermostat

Turning down the temperature of your thermostat by just 1 degree will make a difference to power consumption to the tune of about 6 percent (for an average household that's about £30 a year).

A fridge too far

There's absolutely no reason for your fridge's temperature to be kept below 3 degrees centigrade. If this is what you're doing, it is using up energy needlessly - and won't be keeping your food fresher for longer! 3-5 degrees C should be just about right.

Close the fridge

Even if you are only going to be 'a few seconds', don't leave the fridge door open. It only takes a few seconds for the temperature to rise - and then it can take upwards of half an hour to cool down again, wasting electricity in the process! Once again this is one of those things that, if thought about every time, can save you money as well as helping the environment that little bit more.

Clean behind the fridge

Ok.. not a very nice business that - especially if the fridge has been hanging around the house for a long time. However if the condenser coils at the back become really dusty, energy consumption can increase by anything up to 30%. See - you don't even have to scrub the floor or anything: just dust the coils!

Unplug 'standby' electrical things

So many electrical items around the home have a 'standby' option lights these days and it's surprising how much energy 'standby' uses. Does everything in your house really need to be permanently on standby? Plugging and unplugging electrical items is the work of but a moment and can make a difference to the environemt - and your bank balance. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4620350.stm

Don't fill the kettle!

When you make a cup of tea or coffee, only put as much water in the kettle as you need. Most of the new ones seem to come with 'cup gauges' on them but, even if yours doesn't have one, it ought to be pretty easy to work out how much water you need for a cup/ mug/ pot. Don't forget: you'll save yourself some money too..

Use Eco-friendly cleaning products

Instead of buying Fairy Liquid, try something like Ecover - better for the environment and still washes the dishes. You could do the same for laundry products too: the Ethiscore report in Ethical Consumer magazine (May/ June 2006) lists Bio-D, Clear Spring, ECOS and Ecover as the top 4 detergents. Ariel, Bold and Fairy are all woefully low down the table. There are even special laundry devices called EcoBalls, that are supposedly good for about 1,000 washes (that's by far and away the best part of a decade!), which is brilliant!

Wash cooler

Use a 40 degree wash cycle for laundry. Unless your clothes are really filthy 40 will be fine - and it'll use a third less electricity than a 60 degree wash!

Bee nice

Found an insect wandering around your home? Think twice before fetching the rolled-up newspaper. If you - or someone else in the building - can bare to touch creepy critters , just scoop it up and put it outside. This goes for spiders, moths, woodlice.. it's even possible to pick up sluggish bees (as long as you're careful). If you can't pick them up with your bare hands, use the glass and cardboard trick.