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At Home...

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AT HOME... Top tips to help you save your pennies and the planet

Mind the Gap

Insulating your walls could be the most cost-effective way to save energy in your home. Around 33% of the heat lost in your home is through the walls, so getting them insulated could save you as much as £130 on your annual heating bills!

What a bright idea!

Energy saving light bulbs last about 10 times as long as traditional filament bulbs and because they use less energy they are much better for the environment. Switching to energy saving bulbs could also benefit your pocket – saving you as much as £7 a year. Just remember to turn them off when you leave the room.

Green, green gas of home

Ask your energy supplier about switching to a green payment plan and ensure that part of your bill payment is invested in renewable forms of energy like wind, solar and water.

A lofty idea

Insulating your loft is one of the simplest ways to save energy and you can even install it yourself. Insulate you loft today and in a year you could be between £180 and £220 better off.

Put a lid on it!

Put a lid on your pans when you cook and you'll use only the amount of energy you need. Remember to match the ring-size on the hob to your pan; otherwise you'll be paying for a lot of hot air. If you’re cooking two or more dishes, using the oven could help you use even less energy.

Storm in a teacup

If you’re making a cuppa, remember to only boil as much water as you need and you’ll help save the UK £1 million a year. Boiling a full kettle uses the same amount of energy as it takes to light your living room for an entire evening

Charity begins at home

If your old furniture still has life left in it, remember that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Your local community charity will be glad to find a good home for your unwanted items.

A half soaked idea

Save water and heating costs by taking a shower instead of a bath – showers use less than half the water needed for a bath. If you really long for a soak in bubbles, you could always conserve water by sharing it with someone and if you bathe by candlelight you'll be saving electricity as well as giving yourself a relaxing treat

Get switched on by switching off

Appliances left on stand-by are using money even though you’re not using them. It takes two power stations just to power appliances left on stand-by each year in the UK . Save yourself a packet by switching them off.

Money saving in-scent-ives

Instead of spending your money on expensive, artificial air-fresheners, just mix natural essential oils, like rose, vanilla or sandalwood with a little water and spray onto your radiators to create a beautiful aroma – as they heat up the scent is released.

Great Timing!

Time your heating to go off half an hour before you leave the house and time it to come on again half an hour before you come home for maximum effectiveness. Having the central heating on all the time burns fossil fuels, costs you money, and the dry air can damage your skin and hair. Turning your thermostat down by just one degree can save you £30 a year.

Feeling flush?

Dual flush toilets can cut household water use by 20% but if you don't have one there's a DIY way to save the planet. Old cisterns hold about 9 litres of water so put a brick in your cistern and reduce the amount of water you waste.

The Big Freeze

Keep your fridge and freezer full and you’ll reduce your electricity bill by using less energy and try not to leave your fridge door open any longer than needed - for every minute the door is open it takes 3 minutes to cool it back down to the right temperature!

How big is your footprint?

Find out how sustainable your lifestyle is and discover what you could change about the way you live by calculating your eco footprint online at www.walesfootprint.org or www.myfootprint.org

For more help, advice and a list of suppliers in your area, try searching for projects listed under these topics:

Home and shopping

Energy

Building and construction

Health

Food and drink

Community

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IN THE GARDEN… Ideas to make your garden really green

Natural Beauty

Chemicals and harsh pesticides can be extremely damaging to wildlife and can even have a detrimental effect further up the food chain. Look after your garden with natural products and harmless household items and you’ll soon see the rewards.

Grow Your Own

Growing fruit and vegetables in your own garden is a great way to make sure that you’re eating chemical free, seasonal produce that doesn’t break the bank. You don’t need much space and, if you don’t have your own garden, an allotment is a cheap alternative.

Get on your soap box

A little washing-up liquid mixed with water makes a great deterrent for pesky aphids. Simply spray it on or get into the habit of pouring your dishwater over the garden.

Liquid refreshment

Stop those horrible slugs from eating your plants and vegetables by using ordinary household goods. Putting beer in shallow containers or scattering used filter coffee around the garden acts as a great deterrent that will help you say ‘goodbye’ to your unwanted guests.

Make your own mud

Get a bin for your garden and create your own nutrient-rich garden compost. It’s much better for the environment than the peat-based composts you can buy in the garden centre and reduces the production of methane (a potent greenhouse gas) which is caused when matter like grass clippings and kitchen waste are sent to landfill sites. Ask your local council or DIY store for details.

Raindrops keep falling on your head

Collecting the rainwater that falls from your roof in a water butt is a great way to save money as it saves using treated water from your taps to water your garden. Your plants prefer it and if you have a water meter it can save you money twice by preventing it going down the drain. Check with your water supplier for details.

Sun Light

Garden lights that use solar power are a great way to make your garden look pretty and illuminate your outdoor living space. You can fit them anywhere - they don’t need electricity - and once you’ve bought them, they’re free to run!

For more help, advice and a list of suppliers in your area, try searching for projects listed under these topics:

Gardening and allotments

Natural Environment

Woodlands

Recycling and waste

Health

Food and drink

Home and shopping

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OUT SHOPPING…Find out how to make small changes that will make a big difference to your pocket, health, environment and economy

Less is more

Pick products that have less packing – packaging is fussy, messy and wasteful. Your decisions will send a clear message to the producers that ‘we don’t want all that rubbish!’ Save money and the environment by looking out for refill products, which have less packaging and a lower price.

Trend Setter

Grab a fashion bargain by popping into your local charity shop and discover a world of vintage chic. Alternatively, go online and buy from organic clothes websites. The production of non-organic cotton accounts for more than a quarter of the world's pesticide use

Fair’s fair

Look out for goods that show the Fair Trade mark – you’ll know that the producers of the goods you’re buying have received a fair price for their products and enjoy better pay and working conditions. On 8th May 2004 the National Assembly for Wales pledged to make Wales the world’s first Fair Trade country. The Wales Fair Trade Forum is encouraging everyone across Wales to get involved and take this important step towards making poverty history.

Great food on your doorstep!

Consider how far the food you’re buying has travelled to reach the store and check if there is a locally produced, seasonal alternative. Local farmers markets, organic vegetable box schemes and local shops will often stock a wide variety of tasty, wholesome and seasonal goods – some will even deliver to your door!

Case Study: Riverside Market

Go green

Look out for products made from recycled materials e.g. recycled toilet and kitchen paper – the quality is really good these days. Recycling helps reduce the number of trees that are chopped down to produce paper and you’ll be making a difference without making a sacrifice!

A bag is for life…

Instead of using carrier bags from the supermarket, why not get a strong and durable ‘bag for life’ or use your own basket or trolley when you go shopping? Remember, many of the bigger stores have recycling schemes so you can recycle your old carrier bags – some of them will even reward you for being green!

Pounds and pennies

If you only need a few bits and bobs from the shop, why not walk or cycle there instead of taking the car and spend spare pounds from your waistline as well as the ones in your pockets? Look for products carrying the organic mark and you’ll be doing your taste buds a favour as well as the planet – organic foods are chemical and pesticide free.

For more help, advice and a list of suppliers in your area, try searching for projects listed under these topics:

Home and shopping

Economy and money

Recycling and waste

Health

Food and drink

Sustainability

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GETTING AROUND…Health enhancing and pollution busting tips for travellers and commuters

The road less travelled

It goes without saying that any form of travel which doesn’t produce greenhouse gases – i.e. walking and cycling – will be top of the green travel hierarchy. They’re a great way to get about because their good for the planet, your health and your pocket!

Share and share alike

If you can be flexible about travel arrangements, try a car share scheme when heading to a conference or meeting or lift share with someone to work; it’ll save you petrol and halve your combined carbon emissions!

Road Runner

The way you drive affects how much fuel you use. Aggressive driving leads to higher fuel consumption and more pollution, so avoid sudden acceleration and braking. Making sure that your tyres are properly inflated and that you don’t drive around with heavy items in the boot for longer than you need to will help you cut down emissions, saving the planet and the pennies!

On yer bike!

Cycling to work is a great way to avoid travel and parking charges and will get you fit in no time. Look out for your local ‘bike to work scheme.’

Public transport

Travelling by bus or train is a cheap and convenient way to get about and cuts out the stress of finding a parking space. Find out how to get where you need to go by contacting Traveline Cymru on 0870 608 2 608

For local information, try searching for projects listed under these topics:

Energy

Health

Community

Tourism and Leisure

Transport and Travel

Technology

Sustainability

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AT SCHOOL…Important lessons about what your school can do to help save the planet

Doing the write thing

Become an eco-school and get pupils involved in writing an environment plan for the school – it’s a great way to get students involved and working together. You could even work towards becoming an accredited school and really show the world how much you care!

Cabbage patch kids

Set up projects to help the children learn about biodiversity. Why not create a vegetable patch or herb garden or a wetland area to attract wildlife? Always make sure that it is safe for the children and avoid disturbing an area that is already home to a number of species of plant or animal life.

Walk the talk

Support initiatives that encourage children to walk or cycle to school such as a ‘walking bus’ or ‘safe routes to school’ projects.

The R’s of learning

We know how important reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmatic are but it’s time to add a few more ‘r’s to the curriculum and get your school reducing, reusing, repairing and recycling! Think about how much your school usually wastes and learn to be thriftier and more efficient – you’ll save money as well as the environment.

Green paper

Try to always buy recycled paper - the quality is as good as virgin paper, you can get it in all sorts of colours and finishes and it’s widely available. Choosing recycled paper helps conserve resources, uses less energy to produce and reduces the global consumption of wood. It also helps sustain the market for recycled paper and creates more demand for waste paper collection. Using both sides of the paper will make your stocks last longer, saving trees and your budget. You can use the back of the sheets when printing or photocopying your classroom notes.

Try searching for local projects listed under these topics:

Recycling and Waste

Food and Drink

Agriculture

Transport and Travel

Sustainability

Gardening and Allotments

Community

Woodlands

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AT WORK … Money saving tips for your business that won’t cost the earth

Bright Sparks

Turning off lights, electrical and computer equipment at night could save you money, prolong the life of your hardware and could even help prevent an electrical fire breaking out.

It’s in the small print

Think before you print. Have you ever thought about how much waste you produce at work? Getting green in the office is easy: get recycling bins for paper and printer cartridges and buy recycled paper whenever you can - you’ll soon be making a big difference to the environment.

Write On

Buy recycled paper. These days the quality is as good as virgin paper, you can get it in all sorts of colours and finishes and it’s stocked by all good stationers. Recycled paper helps conserve resources, uses less energy to produce and reduces the global consumption of wood. It also helps sustain the market for recycled paper and creates more demand for waste paper collection.

Think Ink

Next time you place a stationery order, think carefully about what you need. Consider buying ink refills for pens and printer cartridges or buy goods made from recycled materials.

Get creative

Get creative and discover how you can re-use paper as a handy jotter pad or message book. Using both sides of your office paper will save you having to order in new stock as frequently, saving trees and your budget! If you store your used paper in a central place, people can use it when printing or photocopying internal documents or making notes.

Leave the car at home!

Encourage lift-sharing, using public transport or cycling to work. Try having a cycle to work week for your employees, offer to pay expenses for cycling to meetings instead of driving or arrange to have a secure bicycle locking area installed at your workplace.

Business banking

Set up an office recycling scheme for used paper, ink cartridges or drinks cans and bottles. There are a number of organisations who will be glad to collect these from you either free of charge or for a small fee.

Office politics

Produce an office environmental or sustainability policy. It doesn’t have to take long or be complicated – just include sections on office recycling, energy efficiency or transport policies which everyone can sign-up to. Get everyone to contribute - it’s a great team exercise. There are even ways you can gain accreditation for your business, showing your clients how much you care.

Cater for everyone

When you arrange catering for a meeting, function or event, ask the caterers to supply fair trade tea, coffee, fruit or chocolate and organic or local food where they can. You’ll be supporting the local economy and global fair trade and enjoying tasty, fresh home-made food.

Try searching for local projects listed under these topics:

Energy

Recycling and Waste

Health

Home and Shopping

Transport and Travel

Technology

Sustainability

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IN THE COMMUNITY…Ideas to help you get the most out of where you live

Reap what you sow

Find out if you have a local farmer’s market or community fruit & vegetable box scheme in your area and discover the benefits of buying local produce. The produce will be fresh and tasty and you’ll be supporting your local community growers and your local economy.

Charity begins at home

Give something back

Volunteer and get involved with local groups who are always on the look out for help. You could get help out with litter collections, conservation, restoration, education, health, or any number of other projects in your local community. Contact the Wales Council for Voluntary Action or Volunteering Wales www.volunteering-wales.net for advice and information.

Invest in the local economy

A credit union acts as a community bank run by local people for local people. Interest rates are kept low and people are encouraged to invest regularly in order to qualify for loans. Why not find out what’s going on in your area? You never know it could be the answer you were looking for! Try the Association of Community Currencies or the Citizen’s Advice Bureau for more information.

Girl Power

For you females out there why not become involved in your local Women’s Institute or Merched y Wawr group? They can be great fun, offer a wonderful sense of community and the work they have achieved to promote sustainable living is commendable. Contact the National Federation of Women’s Institutes Cymru or Merched y Wawr for details of your local group.

Community Projects

Many local projects offer benefits to the local people and economy as well as providing a great day out for you and your family or school group i.e. community or city farms, community shops and visitor centres or arts projects.

Case Studies: Antur Waunfawr, The Arts Factory.

Try searching for projects listed under these topics:

Health

Gardening and Allotments

Home and Shopping

Community

Social Justice

Culture and Language

Economy and Money

Tourism and Leisure

Transport and Travel

Technology

Sustainability

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ON HOLIDAY… Find out how you can still be doing great work while you’re relaxing on your holiday

Busman’s holiday

One trip in an aeroplane can release as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as an entire year of car journeys so why not try an alternative to flying? It could be much more fun getting there by train, boat or bus and you’ll see so much more beautiful scenery along the way!

Brits abroad

When on holiday, remember to be considerate of local customs and traditions. Try learning some phrases and getting to know the local people – you’ll get a warmer response and by embracing the culture around you and you’ll feel a million miles from home, wherever you are.

Fight global poverty on your holidays

Think twice before choosing all-inclusive holidays. Sometimes these resorts close-off areas of land for tourist resorts, displacing local people from their own land or beaches. Although they may sound easier, your choices can often be more limited, you might not get as much value for your money as you’d hoped and, worst of all, your money might not benefit the local region at all.

When in Rome…

When you are on holiday, whether in the UK or anywhere else in the world, try to ensure that your stay benefits the local community in some way. Buy local goods, support local restaurants and use local transport for example.

Easy come, easy go

If you are out enjoying the countryside, remember to leave only your footprints behind - pick up your rubbish and belongings and take only them and photographs with you when you leave.

Try searching for projects listed under these topics:

Energy

Natural Environment

Health

Food and Drink

Agriculture

Woodlands

Tourism and Leisure

Transport and Travel

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HOLDING AN EVENT…Ideas to help you and your guests get the most out of the occasion

Go eco!

Try to reduce the ecological footprint of your event in any way that you can. Reduce car use by choosing a location that’s accessible by public transport, provide transport timetables and maps so that people have time to plan their journey and encourage people to lift-share.

Be prepared

Ensure that there are adequate recycling facilities available to dispose of any waste properly and try to reduce waste by using re-usable items, like proper crockery and cutlery, rather than the disposable varieties.

Think local

Support the local economy by using a venue owned and managed by local people and by sourcing local caterers who can supply locally grown food - even better if it is organic and free range!

Fair dos

Support fair trade by providing fair trade tea, coffee, fruit and chocolate and make sure it is labelled to show people that you support Fair Trade - it may inspire others to do the same.

Open door

Make sure events are accessible to all, including people with physical, mental or sensory disabilities. Ensure that ramps and lifts are available where necessary and that sign language interpretation or loudspeakers are at hand for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Speak easy

Support different languages by ensuring you have translators and interpreters available. There are a number of different ways you can hold successful bilingual events.

FOR YOUR WEDDING…Simple ideas to help you spread your love with the planet on your big day

Spread the love

Share the happiness of your special day by asking your guests to make a donation to charity. You could make an alternative gift list which offers the opportunity to support a poor community in a developing country through donating a goat or a clean water supply in lieu of wedding gifts. Try WWF’s Ethical Goods catalogue or the Centre for Alternative Technology’s wedding gift service.

Happy snappers

Ask your guests to share their digital photos with you electronically rather than using disposable cameras to capture all their antics during the day and evening celebrations.

Flower power

Show you care by using recycled stationery for your wedding invitations and don’t forget to tell your guests that you can now get biodegradable confetti made from flower petals!

Dress to impress

Try sourcing a vintage or retro dress from one of a number of shops and websites (or make your own using vintage materials). Look for an antique ring or one made from recycled gold rather than buying new.

Arrive in style

Take a step back in time for your big day and arrive by horse-drawn carriage. Take your time and enjoy every moment of your journey to the aisle out in the open air. Best of all you’ll know that your magical journey hasn’t produced any carbon emissions!

Eco-planners!

There are now companies who will plan your eco-wedding for you to make sure it’s a perfect day for you and the planet.

Try searching for projects listed under these topics:

Energy

Recycling and Waste

Food and Drink

Home and Shopping

Community

Social Justice

Culture and Language

Economy and Money

Tourism and Leisure

Transport and Travel

Technology

Sustainability

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