10 tips for a green Christmas

Everyone likes a white Christmas, but most of us could do a lot more to have a green one! We’ve been thinking of easy ways to keep warm, cut down on energy use and save yourself money over what is inevitably an expensive period.

  1. Light some candles! The festive period gives you an excuse to fill your house with candles – take the opportunity to switch off some lights in the evening.
  2. If you’re planning on turning your garden into a winter wonderland, solar powered fairy lights are a great option. They’re free to run, just as easy and look great!
  3. Turn your thermostat down 1°C – it won’t make much of difference to how warm your home feels but it will reduce your bills!
  4. Don’t put your Christmas tree in front of the radiator! This seems obvious but I’ve been guilty of it myself when it seems like the tree won’t fit anywhere else. Blocking the radiator will waste heating and dry out your tree, shortening its lifespan and encouraging it to drop needles everywhere.
  5. Saving on heating is the perfect excuse to wear that hideous Christmas jumper you bought years ago but have so far been banned from wearing.
  6. Don’t leave the lights on in empty rooms! This applies all year round, but is especially important if you’ve got a houseful over Christmas. Also, switch to LED lights instead of traditional incandescents – they use 90% less energy and are a really easy way to save money on bills.
  7. Looking up a recipe? Save your laptop for work and use a tablet instead – it uses 70% less power.
  8. Cook with lids on and using pans which are the right size for the hob to avoid wasting energy.
  9. When the oven’s on, fill it up. Cooking a few things at once will stop the oven having to heat up repeatedly over the course of the day. A perfect excuse to stick some mince pies in below your dinner!
  10. A draught excluder up your chimney can keep you warm over the festive period and could save you £30 over the course of 2017!

Have a great Christmas everyone!


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