“Harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories” – Barack Obama.
Due to ever increasing concerns about the environment it is time we all started taking the necessary steps to ensure that our planet remains intact for future generations. This can be achieved through simple steps that don’t need to mean a drastic change of lifestyle. It can be as easy as washing clothes at a lower temperature or switching to energy saving light bulbs, these last an average of 12 times longer than their regular counterpart so will also save you some pennies too. Simple things such as walking to the local shops instead of taking your car and even turning the tap off when your brushing your teeth will also make a steady difference to your carbon footprint.
The government are taking much needed steps in ensuring our homes are as eco friendly as possible and are even offering ‘carbon credit’ to those homes emitting less energy. In a few years time a poor household energy rating could even make your home difficult to sell and with 52 per cent of people saying they would pay more for a house that is eco friendly the time has come to make the change.
Eco friendly homes can be created through choosing energy efficient appliances such as televisions, washing machines and dishwashers with an efficiency rating of at least A+, these products will not only serve to reduce the carbon emitted from your household but will also reduce the cost of your electricity bills. By effectively insulating your home you can also reduce energy output and therefore cost, double-glazing and additional wall insulation will make a significant impact.
When decorating your home it is also an idea to choose materials that are as natural as possible such as chemical free paints and carpeting and flooring made of natural resources such as hemp and bamboo. Using water efficiently will also help you to achieve a more eco friendly lifestyle, you can reduce the amount of water you waste by opting for low flow showers over baths, these typically use up to 50 litres less of water each time and choosing a toilet with a duel flush and eco taps.
Numerous companies are also working to reduce their carbon footprint so it is worth making these your first port of call when insuring your new home. For example, Kwik-Fit Insurance* has employed an Environmental Manager to reduce the environmental impacts of the business. Not only are they focussing on reducing their waste and energy use but they have also set up an award winning scheme at Kwik-Fit Insurance in Uddingston, Scotland called ‘Little Fitters’. The scheme is designed to encourage schools and nurseries across the country to develop initiatives aimed at raising awareness of environmental issues such as waste and energy use and ways of tackling them. So with some of the biggest names in industry working for the environment we can hopefully look forward to a brighter and healthier future.
*One of the market leaders in car insurance and home insurance.
