Once you have your power tariff sorted, there are all kinds of small things you can do around the house to cut your bills, save the planet and even live healthier.

For more home-friendly and energy-saving tips visit: www.actionenergy.org.uk, www.energyefficiency.org and www.thecarbontrust.co.uk.

Environmentally friendly living, like charity, begins at home. Using as little energy as possible in your home makes sense for the environment - and your pocket. It tends to make you healthier too.

There are lots of things you can do to cut down your energy bills and reduce your pollution levels. Many of them are easy and cheap to do.The obvious one, to start with, is to switch your energy provider, or at least switch your tariff, to a green one. Most of the large power companies offer green tariffs, where the energy comes from cleaner sources. You can choose the best value green energy tariff here with the Moneymagpie energy comparison tool. It only takes a minute to do.

But there are also two companies that offer only green energy. They are called Good Energy and Ecotricity. Good Energy uses only 100% renewable electricity. It comes from wind, small scale hydro and solar power generators from all over Britain. Ecotricity gets all of its energy from clean sources such as wind power.

Once you have your power tariff sorted, there are all kinds of small things you can do around the house to cut your bills, save the planet and even live healthier.

• Only put enough water in the kettle for the drink you are making. If just 15 families filled their kettles with just enough water they would save 1 tonne of carbon every year. Also, when cooking, keep all lids, covers and oven doors closed. More than 20% of heat can be lost each time you open the oven door. Similarly – water boils up to 6% faster with a lid on the pan, cutting your energy bill on a daily basis.

   

• Use energy-saving light bulbs throughout your home. You can save around £50 per bulb for the lifetime of each unit. Companies, such as GoGreenLights, offer a range of energy-saving lightbulbs.

• Avoid tumble dryers. They sap energy quicker than daytime TV shows drain you of the will to live. A clothes line, if you have space, is still the most efficient and the healthiest option. If you don't have outside space, get an indoor airer. 

   

• Fill your washing machine. It’s the cost of heating the water that costs you money, so washing with a half-full machine costs you about the same as washing a full load. The average British family does around 247 loads a year, so waiting a bit until you have a full machine will certainly cost you less. As will washing on lower temperatures. You don't need to wash any higher than 40^o for any type of wash. Higher temperatures take more energy and cost you more in the long-run. Use eco-friendly washing products too to cut down on more pollution.

   

• Get double glazing. Small chinks in windows can lead to up to 20% of a home’s heat loss. The cost of installing double glazing will be recouped in the next few year’s heating bills. Or, if that is not an option, fit draft excluders around all windows and doors.

   

• Wrap the back of your radiator. Put aluminium foil, shiny side out, behind radiators to reflect heat into the room.

   

• Press the ‘off’ switch. Leaving appliances (eg TVs, PCs, DVD players and set-top boxes) on standby is believed to waste an estimated 15% of the world’s domestic electricity per year. Also, watch less TV if you have an LCD screen. They use about four times the energy that the older TVs use.

• Fit an efficient, condensing boiler. Check out Sedbuk to find the one that’s best for you, and get it serviced every two years.

   

• Get a water meter. If you live on your own or use very little water you will probably find your bills going down anyway. If not, you will soon see how much water you waste each month and will be forced to cut back.

   

• Never shave or brush your teeth while the tap is running. If your water is metered this will save money over the year.

   

• Install cavity-wall insulation. About 40% of all heat loss is through the walls of the average home. Insulation usually costs less than £500 and the average energy saving per year is £130-160.

Read on to find out how to cut the cost and carbon generated by travel.