This week there have been scaremongerers about! A gas supply line broke down and despite things being fixed and two experts appearing on the News stating "there is no problem with supply" the media have gone a bit loopy over it all.
So perhaps this is a great opportunity to remind people of the little things they can do to save money and not use electricity and gas:
1. Instead of a cooked meal - have a sandwich.
2. Turn the telly off for a couple of hours and read a book, fix that leaking tap, do the washing up.. go for a bike ride or a walk..
3. Use a solar charger for AA and AAA batteries. Sound a bit mundane but they do work. OK they can take a couple of hours longer than the mains supply but its free! I have used two devices over the past 10 years (not sure of the names tbh) and in around 4 hours of daylight (not even sunshine, really) from spring to autumn these batteries are made ready for the bike lights, radios and dictaphones that I use.
Sadly my last one was borrowed and not returned, so I need to reinvest...
4. INSULATE your bloody house! Cavity insulation, loft insulation. Thick winter curtains. Cover all windows at night. Double glazing.
Thick rugs may be seen as a trip hazard but their fibres do trap warm air very well! In some colder climates I have read of rugs being hung decoratively on walls as we do pictures, the added benefit being that they too trap the warm air in.
5. When the weather is dry - use the line to dry your laundry! If its piddling? Use a greenhouse or an indoor hanger. Tumble dryers use a hell of a lot of energy. Put clothes on the radiators (special hangers can even be bought to maximise airflow and space).
6. Wear more layers when its cold. Long johns and long sleeve shirts under thick jumpers and fleeces used to be worn for a reason. The warmer the body the less you need to put the heating up. Thick wool walking socks and thicker material trousers (eg corduroy) will also keep the legs warmer.
7. Unplug things that you wont use for a long time. Phone chargers, VHS and DVD machines in the spare room, switch off lights in rooms that you wont be using for a while. It sounds simple but many people still do these things.. power is money.
8. Use an insulated kettle for your hot drinks. Put less water in and it not only boils quicker but saves you electric. Instead of the magimix - hand mix your cooking attempts (to remind us of Henry Ford's chop your own wood, warm you twice analogy - hand mixing will use muscle, muscle creates heat).
9. Use a floor sweeper instead of a hoover most of the time. A simple mechanical device you just run the wheels over the carpet and the brush collects surface dirt. They're a hell of a lot quieter too.
So perhaps this is a great opportunity to remind people of the little things they can do to save money and not use electricity and gas:
1. Instead of a cooked meal - have a sandwich.
2. Turn the telly off for a couple of hours and read a book, fix that leaking tap, do the washing up.. go for a bike ride or a walk..
3. Use a solar charger for AA and AAA batteries. Sound a bit mundane but they do work. OK they can take a couple of hours longer than the mains supply but its free! I have used two devices over the past 10 years (not sure of the names tbh) and in around 4 hours of daylight (not even sunshine, really) from spring to autumn these batteries are made ready for the bike lights, radios and dictaphones that I use.
Sadly my last one was borrowed and not returned, so I need to reinvest...
4. INSULATE your bloody house! Cavity insulation, loft insulation. Thick winter curtains. Cover all windows at night. Double glazing.
Thick rugs may be seen as a trip hazard but their fibres do trap warm air very well! In some colder climates I have read of rugs being hung decoratively on walls as we do pictures, the added benefit being that they too trap the warm air in.
5. When the weather is dry - use the line to dry your laundry! If its piddling? Use a greenhouse or an indoor hanger. Tumble dryers use a hell of a lot of energy. Put clothes on the radiators (special hangers can even be bought to maximise airflow and space).
6. Wear more layers when its cold. Long johns and long sleeve shirts under thick jumpers and fleeces used to be worn for a reason. The warmer the body the less you need to put the heating up. Thick wool walking socks and thicker material trousers (eg corduroy) will also keep the legs warmer.
7. Unplug things that you wont use for a long time. Phone chargers, VHS and DVD machines in the spare room, switch off lights in rooms that you wont be using for a while. It sounds simple but many people still do these things.. power is money.
8. Use an insulated kettle for your hot drinks. Put less water in and it not only boils quicker but saves you electric. Instead of the magimix - hand mix your cooking attempts (to remind us of Henry Ford's chop your own wood, warm you twice analogy - hand mixing will use muscle, muscle creates heat).
9. Use a floor sweeper instead of a hoover most of the time. A simple mechanical device you just run the wheels over the carpet and the brush collects surface dirt. They're a hell of a lot quieter too.
