Welcome to Warwickshire County Council

At Home

The majority of our energy currently comes from fossil fuels such as coal and gas. These are finite resources and there is uncertainty as to how long they will last. Burning these fuels in power stations, cars, our homes and so forth causes pollution and leads to change in the climate. You only have to switch on the TV to see how our climate is changing, with more frequent storms globally. The answer is obvious - reduce the amount of energy we use and reduce the amount of energy we waste. If everyone made an effort to cut down on the energy we waste every day at home and at work we’d not only help the environment but also save ourselves a substantial sum of money. For every £100 of your energy bill you can save up to £20 simply by being more energy efficient.

The Switch It Off campaign in 2009 aimed to encourage people to switch off lights and appliances not being used, with the aim of reducing costs as well as our impact on the environment. Resources such as Switch It off posters and leaflets were available to help run campaigns at work, school or within the local community.

Some simple things to help reduce energy waste

• Check that your loft is properly insulated. Installing loft insulation to a depth of at least 15cm will help save around 20% of your heating costs, but if possible add insulation to a depth of at least 25cm for even greater savings.
• Draught-proof your windows and doors. 20% of heat can be lost through draughty, badly-fitting doors and windows.
• Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows.
• Always remember to turn off lights when you leave a room.
• When you are not using your TV, switch it off at the set rather than leaving it on stand-by.
• Close the fridge door as quickly as possible. Don’t leave it lying open!
• Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge; allow it to cool down first.
• Always wait until you have a full load before using your washing machine.
• Try to use the low-temperature programme on your washing machine, unless you have really dirty clothes to wash.
• Switch off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth. Sounds simple but it saves a lot of water.
• Take showers instead of baths. Showers use a lot less water so will save energy and therefore money.
• Fit energy efficient light-bulbs. These use about a quarter of the electricity of standard bulbs and last up to eight times longer.