Making your home green
As we become increasingly aware of our impact on the environment more and more people are asking how they can make their households more environmentally sustainable.
Our households are having a significant impact on the environment. Consider the following:
- The UK's 21 million domestic dwellings are responsible for 27% of CO2 emissions, consume half of all water supplies and produce 8% of all waste
- Each household in the UK creates around six tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. That's double the carbon dioxide emissions that the average car produces in a year.
You can make a real difference in your home
Although the figures look quite bleak you can help make a real difference by making some simple changes to the day to day running of your household. You can calculate your own eco-footprint to see how your daily activities impact on the environment using the 'Act on CO2 calculator'.
Following the advice below can also benefit your pocket as reducing your use of resources will reduce your household bills.
Renewable energy
It's getting easier and more cost effective to install renewable energy technologies in your home. Our 'Homeowners' guide to renewables' provides advice on how you can go about this.
You may also be interested in the grants available from the Low Carbon Buildings Programme which can support the costs of incorporating renewable technology in your home.
Water use
Climate change is leading to hotter summers which places an increased strain on our water supply.
On average each person in the south east of England uses 160 litres of water a day (compared to 140 litres in the 1980s), much of which can be reduced by taking a few simple measures which include:
- washing full rather than half loads of laundry - try and buy 'A rated' washing machines which use less water and are more energy efficient
- taking a shower instead of a bath - this can save over 300 litres a week
- avoiding letting the tap run when washing your teeth. This can waste six litres per minute
- using a bucket and sponge rather than a hose to clean your car
- fix leaky taps. A dripping tap can waste up to 140 litres a week.
You can also reduce the amount of water you use when flushing the toilet. Free information packs are available by emailing flushsavers@southernwater.co.uk or calling 0800 027 6152.
Find out more about how you can reduce the amount of water you use on the Waterwise website.
Home improvements
Home improvements provide you with a great opportunity to incorporate sustainable materials into the build of your home and reduce your 'carbon foot print'.
- Reduce waste and recycle materials
Reduce the amount of waste produced during the building process. You can also re-use bricks,
timber and other building materials.
- Use low environmental impact products
Examples include timber with Forestry Stewardship Council accreditation, water-based or natural paints and using mineral wool, expanded polystyrene and recycled newspaper as insulation.
- Build it to last
The better the build the fewer the times you will need to carry out improvements.
- Build energy efficiency into your improvements
Fully insulate walls, roofs and floors and ensure windows and lighting are designed so save energy.
Find out more about using environmentally friendly materials in your home or building in our guide 'Building for the future - environmentally friendly construction'.
Recycling and household waste
Recycling is an excellent way of saving energy and reducing the strain both on our natural resources and over flowing landfill sites. For example recycling two glass bottles saves enough energy to boil water for five cups of tea.
Try and follow the 'Three R's' to reduce household waste:
- Reduce – by buying products with less packaging and from organisations that use sustainable resources.
- Reuse – you can cut down on the amount you throw away by re-using items such as computers, furniture and clothing, take unwanted items to charity shops and repair items rather than replacing them.
- Recycle – putting materials aside for recycling reduces the burden on landfill sites and saves valuable materials and energy.
Lambeth council provides a range of services and facilities to help residents recycle as much of their waste as possible.
Find out more about how you can recycle from home. We also have a helpful guide on reducing and recycling your rubbish.
In the garden
Your garden can make a valuable contribution to the local environment but can also cause problems if not maintained properly. Measures you can take to ensure your garden is only having a positive impact on the environment include:
- using alternatives to peat
- avoiding the use of pesticides where possible
- using a water butt to collect rain water for use in your garden
- composting garden and kitchen waste (check out our guide to composting waste).
We can collect your garden waste which is composted then used in local parks and green spaces. Find out more about our garden waste collection scheme.
A comprehensive guide to reducing the impact of your garden on the environment is available at DirectGov: Greener gardens.
Sustainable food
Your approach to household food also provides an opportunity for you to make a difference.
Fair trade products
The FAIRTRADE Mark is an independent consumer label which appears on products as an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. The Fair trade foundation also promotes environmentally and socially sustainable approaches to food production.
Grow your own
If you own a garden or have a balcony, why not try your hand at growing some of your own food? Growing your own vegetables, fruits and herbs can save you money, provide fresh organic food for your family and reduce the amount of packaging, pesticides and 'food miles' used. If you don't have a garden or balcony you can register for an allotment in Lambeth.
Reduce packaging
Food packaging makes up a third of our household waste. When buying packaged food check to see whether the packaging can be recycled, composted or re-used in the home.