yourtomorrow

Households are responsible for 30 per cent of UK energy use. This energy is mainly produced from burning fossil fuels which release damaging emissions contributing to climate change. In the UK, the average person uses about 150 litres of water every day, straining natural water sources.

Here are lots of things you can do to help. If it looks like a long list, don't let that put you off. Start with any one or two actions (the easy ones are at the beginning) and build up from there. It will make you feel good...

• Recycle those old spectacles that are just lying around. Around 200 million people around the world need glasses every year. Contact www.vao.org.uk.

• Switch off all lights and electrical appliances when not in use - your TV left with the red standby light on can still use a quarter of full power, costing you money and the planet its resources. So go the whole hog and switch it off.

• Keep lids on pans when cooking to prevent your cooker having to work extra hard.

• Don?t overfill your kettle. If everybody put in the amount they needed for their cups of tea we could save enough electricity to run all the street lighting in the whole country.

• Don't leave the tap running while you clean your teeth. This wastes up to 9 litres of water a minute or 26,000 litres of water per family, per year.

• Let clothes dry naturally rather than using a tumble drier.

• Recycle your mobile phone. There are 15 million mobile phones replaced in the UK every year which is approximately 1500 tonnes of landfill. You can use www.fonebak.org or drop it in at a mobile phone retailer.

• Choose energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs. An energy saving light bulb might not seem cheap but over its lifetime it could save £65, as well as the planet?

• Turn down your thermostat - turning it down by just 1 degree C can save you up to 10 per cent on your heating bill.

• Take a shower instead of a bath.

• Have a bath with someone you love. Save water and have fun.

• Always recycle paper after use.

• Re-use envelopes.

• Recycle your computer. Imagine the joy a seven year old in the developing world would feel to get hold of it.

• Recycle your books. Charity shops and local libraries are normally very pleased to receive them.

• Use mains electricity rather than batteries if possible. If not, use rechargeable batteries.

• Use a solar-powered calculator instead of one with a battery.

• Store food and other products in ceramic containers rather than foil and plastic wrap.

• Put sanitary waste and wrappings in the dustbin, not down the toilet.

• Fix dripping taps - they can waste up to 13 litres of water a day.

• Install a Hippo Water Saver in the cistern of your toilet. This can save between 2.5 and 3.5 litres of water each time you flush. To obtain a Hippo call 01989 766667 or visit www.hippo-the-watersaver.co.uk

• Return unwanted mail and ask for your name to be removed from the mailing list. E-mail the Mailing Preference Service, mps@dma.org.uk - it can arrange for your address to be deleted from around 90 per cent of mailing lists.

• Share magazines with friends and pass them on to the doctor, dentist or local hospital for their waiting rooms.

• Use washable nappies instead of disposables if you can.

• Give unwanted clothes, toys and books to charity shops or jumble sales.

• Instead of a plastic ballpoint, use a fountain pen with bottled ink, not plastic cartridges.

• Dispose of old appliances - particularly refrigerators with units containing CFCs - responsibly. If in doubt, contact your local council.

• Choose environmentally friendly cleaning products containing plant extracts that degrade quickly when washed down the drain.

• Take waste oil to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre - it is illegal to put waste oil down sinks or drains.

• Buy your electricity from a credible green energy supplier. See our Directory of ethical suppliers.

• Insulate your home with cavity walls - seek professional advice first.

• Ensure you have at least 15cm of loft insulation, use draught excluders and put foil behind radiators on outside walls to reflect the heat back inside.

• Lag your boiler and pipes to prevent unnecessary heat loss by up to 75 per cent.

• Recycle everything as much as you can - if there are no recycling facilities near you, contact your local council.

• Switch your oven to gas if you have the option. On average using a gas oven costs a quarter of the price of running an electric one.