Commit to a greener Hertsmere

This year has seen the 10th annual Energy Saving Week campaign, run by the Energy Saving Trust.

Between Monday 23 and Sunday 29 October, the Energy Saving Trust and Hertsmere Borough Council urged residents and employees to commit to saving 20% of the energy they use every day, by adopting simple measures throughout the course of the week, to help become more energy efficient.

On Tuesday 24 October the Council manned a stall in Borehamwood market offering information and advice to residents on saving energy. Despite the rain, the day was a great success with nearly 200 people visiting the stall and over 150 making the 20% commitment.

New research shows that as a nation, we’ve picked up energy habits that seem harmless but are not only damaging our wallets, but also contributing to climate change. Simple actions, from not turning out the lights to over-boiling the kettle or even washing at high temperatures, all use more energy than is really necessary.

While these habits may seem insignificant in the context of our own homes, if every household in Hertsmere changed three lightbulbs in their home to energy saving lightbulbs we would save 1,642 tonnes of carbon and £134,497 in Hertsmere.

Councillor Shirley Legate, portfolio holder for Housing, said: “By saving 20% of the energy you use everyday, you can help reduce the effects of climate change. During Energy Saving Week and beyond we’re calling on everyone in Hertsmere to help do their bit by focusing on a few simple measures that we can all introduce into our daily lives – from boiling less water in the kettle to getting cavity wall insulation, you can help to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions and save money at the same time. Ordinary actions can make extraordinary things happen!”

Getting involved doesn’t have to mean a huge change in lifestyle, so why not try adopting the following simple measures a day at a time:

Be a light-saver – As the clocks go back and the days get shorter you'll be relying on your lights more. Trade up your ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones. Priced from just £3.50, energy efficient light bulbs last up to 12 times longer. Buying an energy saving lightbulb can cut energy wastage by over three quarters – that’s a saving of £9 a year or £100 over the lifetime when replacing a typical 100W bulb.

Boil better – How many times have you filled the kettle, only to make a single cup of tea? If everyone boiled only the water they needed to make their brew instead of 'filling' the kettle every time, we could save enough electricity in a year to run nearly half of all the street lighting in the country.

Get your green wheels – Eco-driving can help keep your fuel costs down and also help the environment. Simple things like checking your speed can help – above 60mph and the amount of fuel you use goes up considerably, so slow down and save!

Turn to 30 – Set your washing machine to as cool a wash as possible. Modern washing powders are just as effective at lower temperatures. In fact, recent research shows that we can reduce the energy used when doing our laundry by nearly half (41%), simply by turning our dials to 30°c and washing at cooler temperatures. 

Buy better – Look out for the energy saving recommended logo when you're buying new electrical appliances. The logo appears on a growing range of products - from light bulbs to laundry appliances, indicating the most energy efficient appliances which are also cheaper to run.

Ordinary actions really can make extraordinary things happen. Together we have the opportunity in Hertsmere to make a commitment together, so why not change your energy habits?  By making your commitment to save energy you become someone who will make a big difference. If we all commit to save 20% of the energy we use everyday, we can help prevent climate change. To make your commitment, log onto www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/commit Alternatively, call your local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre on 0800 512 012 for a tailored report on how to change your energy habits and become more energy efficient.