At home

• Insulating your home properly means that your home will retain more heat and this will mean that you can spend less on central heating. - turning down your thermostat by just one degree could cut your heating bill by 10%.
• Switching to energy saving devices such as lightbulbs will also save you money - Just one can save you £60 over the lifetime of the bulb - as they last up to 10 times longer than ordinary light bulbs.
• Leaving lights on in rooms which are not in use is a waste of electricity, and your money – remember to turn off any lights which are not in use.
• Stand-By – leaving items like TV’s and Stereo’s on standby uses more energy than we realise. Also remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily.
• When using a kettle boil as much water as you need
• Washing machines- wash at a lower temperature, and always wash a full load to save on water and energy.
• Use the Council's recycling initiatives; this can include composting any garden waste, and recycling any paper, glass and cans, using the recycling boxes provided to you.
• Bin items such as nappies, or cotton buds, do not flush them away.
• Bottles, carrier bags and refillable containers can all be re-used.
• In one week dripping hot water tap wastes energy and wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath. Make sure leaking taps are fixed, and always ensure they are turned off properly.

Travel

• Use public transport such as a bus or train.
• Ride a bike or walk where possible – there are many great routes in and around Middlesbrough for both walking and bike riding. This would also be great for your health.
• Car maintenance – try to regularly service your car.
• Car sharing – try to share journeys where possible, for example, you could set up a car share scheme with your work colleagues.

Shopping

• Buy local – buying local produce not only means you are helping to support the businesses and farms in your area, but it decreases the amount of fuel emmissions from lorries which are transporting the goods.
• Look out for products which are recycled.
• Choose energy efficient electrical products, you will not only help to save the environment, but your energy bills too.
• Many supermarkets now offer reusable carrier bags. Try to make use of them.

• Ensure your PC is switched off at the end of the day, and ensure office lights are turned off also.
• Promote a green bin policy so that you can easily recycle can, glass, paper.
• Buy recycled products.
• Encourage the purchasing of re-cycled products for example when ordering stationery.

For information on energy saving and energy efficiency schemes for your home or business, please call 0800 512 012 or visit the Energy Saving Trust website for the north east. Please use the link on the right hand side of the screen for this website.