Archived press release

Going Green Can Save You Thousands of Pounds

7 March 2005

Going green could save individuals thousands of pounds as well as helping to tackle climate change, according to a new guide published today (Monday 7^th March) by Friends of the Earth and Collins. Save cash and save the planet provides dozens of top tips on how small changes to your lifestyle can help reduce emissions of carbon dioxide while saving you cash at the same time.

According to the book's authors, Andrea Smith and Nicola Baird, energy saving measures just within the home can cut energy bills for a typical family in a three-bedroom semi by £200 a year. One piece of research claims that living an exemplary green lifestyle from cradle to grave could save up to £80,000 over a hypothetical individual's lifetime, reducing climate emissions by more than 1,000 tonnes [1]. Save cash and save the planet shows how making even small changes in your lifestyle can make a real difference to the health of the planet and save money as well.

Friends of the Earth Executive Director Tony Juniper said:

"Save cash and save the planet shows that being good to the planet can be good for your budget and improve the quality of your life too. Most of us cherish a clean and safe environment - this book tells you how we can all help this to be achieved."

"Climate change is the biggest environmental threats the planet faces. But this guide shows how we can all help to reduce its impact by not wasting energy. Small steps such as turning down the thermostat, switching to energy efficient light bulbs or driving a fuel efficient car will save cash and help the environment by reducing our impact on climate change."

Recent figures show that domestic energy use accounts for 27 per cent of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions, with another 26.5 per cent coming from transport [2]. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that each year UK houses lose enough heat - through windows and walls - to heat 3 million homes for a year.

But individuals can do their bit to bring down emissions by taking action to save energy across all areas of their life.

Friends of the Earth's top tips include:

• Invest in energy saving light bulbs for your home - they last around12x longer than normal bulbs and use 75% less electricity, saving you around £65 over the lifespan of the bulb.
• Insulate your home to save energy and reduce your bills. Insulating your loft can save £180 a year. You may also be able to get an energy saving grants to help with the cost.
• Be a greener driver - and opt for a fuel efficient car. Tests show it would costs around £1,250 in petrol for a six-litre Bentley to cover 6,000 miles - compared to just £280 for a Citroen C3 with a diesel 1.4 litre engine.
• If you normally add cold water to your washing up, try turning down the thermostat on your boiler to 60 degrees centigrade and save up to £10 a year.
• Switch off appliances when not in use and save up to £11 a year. TVs, videos, stereos and computers left on standby can use between 40 and 70 per cent of the energy they use when switched on.
• Turn your central heating thermostat down by one degree centigrade and save up to £30 a year on your heating bill.
• Walk your children to school. A fifth of cars on the road in the morning peak period are parents driving their children to school.
• Recycle your rubbish and, if you have a garden, start a compost heap. We throw away our own weight in rubbish every month, but bottles, cans, paper, card, plastic and aluminium can all be recycled which saves energy, while fruit and veg peelings make good compost for your garden.
• Buy locally produced organic food - supporting local farmers and avoiding the transport emissions which contribute to climate change.
• Try leaving the car at home for one journey a week, cutting pollution and reducing your level of carbon dioxide emissions - one of the gases responsible for climate change. Try cycling or walking and get fit at the same time.

More tips and advice are available online at Friends of the Earth's new website - www.savecashsaveplanet.org

Notes

[1] Research by Dr David Reay, University of Edinburgh compared the hypothetical emissions and the cost of two contrasting lifestyles over the course of a life time. Dr Reay is available for interview to talk about his research.

[2] UK carbon dioxide emissions by end user 1990-2020, published in Climate change: the UK programme (DETR, 2000)

Save cash and save the planet, printed on paper made from 100 per cent post consumer waste, is available from Friends of the Earth, priced £12.99, on 020 7490 1555 or online at www.savecashsaveplanet .org Copies are also available at good bookshops.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust