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Making some 'green' resolutions for 2006? Try our climate change top tips

As evidence of climate change mounts, Friends of the Earth Cymru is urging people to start the New Year by making a few resolutions on 'greening' their lifestyle, and possibly saving money, by trying its ten top tips on climate change.

1. Save energy and save on bills by swapping your ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones. Some use a quarter of the energy and can last up to 12 times longer. If all inefficient light bulbs in the UK were replaced with new super-efficient LED or compact fluorescent light bulbs, it would save almost as much energy as a nuclear power station produces.

2. Support local farmers and cut down on food miles, by getting a vegetable box delivered to your home or buying produce at your local farmers market. You'll receive locally sourced, fresh seasonal produce.

3. Share the school run with other parents or walk or cycle your children to school, which will help to reduce congestion and save energy.

4. Install loft insulation - you can cut up to 20 per cent off your energy bills.

5. Visit www.thebigask.com and send a quick note to your MP asking them to support Friends of the Earth's proposed new law to bring down emissions of carbon dioxide by three per cent every year. Over 300 MPs already support the proposed new climate change law.

6. Make sure appliances such as TVs and computer monitors aren't left on standby. The electricity wasted through this in the UK is equivalent to the output of one nuclear power station.

7. Recycle your aluminium cans. Recycling aluminium requires only 5% of the energy compared to making it from raw materials, with the energy saved by recycling one aluminium can being enough to power a TV for 3 hours.

8. Around a third of our household waste is kitchen and garden waste. Recycle it - many Councils collect food waste for composting or provide compost bins very cheaply. As well as taking up space, organic waste which is landfilled produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas
which contributes to climate change.

9. Take a short break in Wales and travel by rail or bus, instead of flying abroad. Aviation is the fastest growing contributor to climate change, with a wealthy minority of people taking an ever-increasing number of short breaks on budget airlines. One long-haul return flight can produce more carbon dioxide per passenger than the average UK motorist produces in a year.

10. Sign up to receive Friends of the Earth's Tip of the day, Monday to Friday, by email. Each tip will tell you how to green your lifestyle just a little bit more - and most will save you cash too!
www.foe.co.uk/living/tips/

For more climate top tips, see Friends of the Earth's briefing
www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefing_notes/50_climate_top_tips.pdf (PDF)

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