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Make this year a green one: five top tips to go greener at home

Zen Jan 24 2022

Statistics suggest that around half of us make new years’ resolutions every January, but the sad truth is that most of those resolutions are abandoned before January even comes to an end. The reason for that? Well, most resolutions involve changing some kind of habitual behaviour, and that can be hard.

Changing our habits requires a longer-term commitment before it becomes easier and – for many of us – it often isn’t worth the hassle.

And while we’d certainly advocate for quitting smoking, getting in shape or eating healthier, we’d like to throw in another suggestion for a different kind of new years’ resolution; one that we can hopefully all get behind, and that doesn’t require seismic changes in our behaviour.

Of course, we’ve already spoiled what that is in the title, but with attention on sustainability and climate change at an all time high, we think that now is a good time to make some simple but effective green resolutions.

1) How many readers does it take to change a lightbulb?

Did you know that LED bulbs use around 90% less electricity than their older incandescent equivalents.

Of course, we know that incandescent and now halogen bulbs are already banned from sale, but many of us are still using those bulbs – in our existing fittings and from the stockpiles we’ve gathered at home.

By the way, LED bulbs are more efficient than fluorescent lighting too.

Switching all your bulbs at home to LED might cost a little up front, but they should last for years and over their lifetime consume far less than other types of bulb.

Those energy savings – especially if we all do it – can only be good for the environment, and – in the longer-term – our bank balances too.

2) Water waste

If you’re old enough to remember the summer of 1976, you might remember the national ‘bath with a friend’ campaign (yes, that really was a thing). From bricks in cisterns to hosepipe bans, at times of national shortage all kinds of novel ways of saving water have been tested.

But what if we said there was an easy way to reduce your water consumption at home without even noticing?

One such way is to use water aerators on your taps. From kitchen sinks to bathrooms, these nifty little gadgets can significantly reduce your water flow with little noticeable difference to the pressure.

Using less water means less energy is needed to pump it to our homes and – especially if you’re on a meter – it’s another great way to save a few quid.

3) Keep your cool

Given that most household carbon emissions come from heating, turning the thermostat down just a little can make a big difference.

Would you notice a 1-degree drop? Studies suggest turning down your thermostat by that amount might save you around £80 a year.

If your home is cold and draughty, cranking up the heat might be masking another problem. Instead, do a quick check for cold spots around the house. It could be your windows or maybe a lack of insulation. And fixing those problems could help keep your home nice and toasty without having to rely so much on your central heating.

4) Reduce your usage

You don’t need to leave your computer running 24/7 or leave the TV on when you’re not watching.

Neither do you need to fill the kettle for a single cup of tea, or leave the radiators turned up in an unused room.

Why not take 10 minutes to tot up all the easy ways you could reduce your energy usage simply by turning things off or down. You may be surprised by how much you could save.

5) Travelling light

For our last point, we’ll step out of the home for a moment, and consider how much fossil fuel you might be burning in your car.

Cutting unnecessary travel might involve walking instead of driving to the local shops, or maybe working from home more often (if you have the option). Just cutting out the regular daily commute could save a small fortune in fuel costs, get you a couple of extra hours in the day and help save the planet too!

Bonus tip – stay Zen!

Here at Zen, we’re committed to doing our bit for our local communities and the planet. We’ve already achieved Carbon Neutral status, and have become a certified B Corp, and we’re also working towards becoming Carbon Net Zero too by helping to reduce carbon emissions across our entire supply chain.

We believe in putting people before profit and using our business as a force for good. And we’re delighted to have you with us on the journey.