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Walk the Talk, Reduce your Footprint: select the appropriate column for each action,
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Already done!
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I could do this in:
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2018
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2019
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| No investment required |
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| Measure the temperature in your most-used rooms to find hot/cold spots |
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| Monitor your energy use to find the major/unexpected users (Kill-a Watt meter) |
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| Review the times for heating (and hot water, if applicable) to come on /off |
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| Turn off lights when you are not using them |
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| Turn “greedy” appliances off (not standby) – put several on a shared power bar |
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| Winter: turn thermostat down to 20C |
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| Winter: turn thermostat down to 19C…or lower |
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| Summer: turn thermostat up to 25C |
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| Summer: turn thermostat up to 26C…or higher |
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| Take short showers instead of baths |
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| Only heat the amount of water you need in the kettle |
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| Run washing machine with cold water and only run when full |
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| Dry clothes outside when possible, or on drying racks indoors |
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| Defrost fridge and freezer regularly, vacuum the outside |
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| Open / close blinds and curtains to help keep warm in winter, cool in summer |
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| Turn off heating / AC in rooms which are not in use |
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| Put fridge and freezer in cool areas in the house |
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| Low cost or DIY |
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| Find where heat is escaping by getting an infrared scan of your house (ecoCaledon) |
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| Check hot-water tank insulation, add if necessary |
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| Check if you need more attic insulation (clues from frost / snow patterns on roof) |
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| Replace light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones (cfl or led) |
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| Draught-proof external doors and windows, fireplace dampers, attic hatches etc. |
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| Insulate hot water pipes |
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| DIY temporary secondary glazing on single/poorly glazed windows |
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| Install an outdoor washing line |
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| Save water costs by installing barrels to collect rainwater for garden use |
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| Switch to renewable electricity/gas (eg Bullfrog Power) |
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| Have your heating system inspected to ensure it is operating safely and efficiently |
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| Install a programmable thermostat if you don’t already have one |
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| Use timers for things like: pool filter pump, Xmas lights, outdoor lights etc. |
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| Get Home Energy Audit including leak test (approx. $500 for before & after tests) |
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| Low-Carbon choices when you have changes planned |
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| When buying electrical appliances, look for the most energy-efficient model |
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| Buy the smallest appliance you can manage with |
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| For building work – exceed current regulations regarding insulation etc. |
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| Consider triple glazing for north-facing or very large windows |
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| Choose a wood-burning stove in place of an open fire |
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| If a wood-stove is not an option, consider a wood-burning insert for your fireplace |
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| Upgrade central heating controls to programmable |
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| Consider adding heat recovery systems to kitchen and bathroom extractors |
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| Seal gaps round any holes in external walls (egg. for drier outlet) |
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| Choose low-carbon building materials (egg. FSC timber, locally produced) |
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| Choose low-carbon materials like natural fibres for floor coverings |
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| Choose low-carbon insulation (sheep’s wool, hemp, recycled paper, etc.) |
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| New extension: make use of passive heating/cooling by optimal siting |
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| If moving house, choose the smallest house you can manage with |
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| If moving house, look for one with energy-saving features |
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| Larger projects |
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| Replace old furnace and A/C with new system (depending on age of current eqpt.) |
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| Install passive solar for hot water heating |
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| Install biofuel heating (egg wood-pellet boiler) |
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| Install solar photovoltaic panels for electricity generation |
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| Install a ground source heat pump (“geothermal”) |
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| Replace any poorly insulated windows with low-e, double- or triple-glazed versions |
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| Replace old external doors with highly insulated versions |
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| Consider extra wall and floor insulation (if suitable for your construction type) |
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| Consider moving to a smaller house |
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| Add and share your ideas! |
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