A young person’s guide: Written by Cem, volunteer for ecobirmingham supporting our sustainable community projects.

Living in the current climate can be very daunting at times. With rising prices, a highly competitive job market and the ever-increasing effects of climate change, it can be hard to prioritise a greener lifestyle.
Adopting energy-saving habits is a powerful way to save money and contribute to a healthier planet.
This blog offers practical tips to help you reduce your energy consumption at home, proving that small changes can have a big impact on both your wallet and the environment.
Saving energy:
Reducing the amount of energy you use at home will reduce the costs of your energy bill, whether that is gas, electricity or water. Although in theory this is obvious, it is hard to put it into practice as we do not always think of all the different ways we use energy at home.
By starting to build some energy saving habits, these tips will end up becoming increasingly easy to put into practice and become second nature in the future. This is especially handy if you are not currently paying for your own utility bills and plan on moving soon, take the opportunity to get used to these habits now.
Also, by using less energy, you will be reducing the demand for fossil fuels and help contribute to a greener environment.
- Switch your appliances off at the socket when not using them, you could save around £65 a year.
- Turn off your consoles and computers when going to bed, otherwise they end up running in the background.
- Try not to charge appliances such as phones overnight, this can damage the battery health as well as use more power.
- Switching to showers from baths is a good idea as on average you will use let water, however you should try to limit your shower time to four minutes per shower. This can save the typical household £95 a year.
- Switching off the lights when you’re not in the room could save you around £25 a year.
- Try switching to LED lightbulbs – they use 90% less energy than the typical traditional lightbulb and can save even more money long term.
- Only use the dishwasher if it is full – reducing use by one run per week you could save £14 a year.
- If you do not have a dishwasher, try to use a washing bowl, or plug the sink to save water.
- Doing the laundry on 30 degrees and limiting to one wash a week could save you £24 a year.
For more energy saving advice, visit the Energy Saving Trust website.

Heating your home:
You might not have your wooly jumpers out yet but it is useful to prepare for the winter in advance.
Heating your home can be very costly however it is important to be comfortable at home. Insulated, warm homes also cost less to maintain than cold damp homes. Cold homes can also have a negative impact on your health. Fuel poverty costs the NHS approximately £2.5 billion a year addressing health issues linked to cold homes.
Here are some simple ways to stay cosy at home while saving money on your bills:
- Draught proofing your home is one of the cheapest and effective ways to help heat your home, saving around £40 a year. From my own experiences at university, draughts can cause rooms to get very cold and let all the heat out which you’re paying for.
- Draught strips for windows and flaps for the bottom of doors are a couple of ways to implement draught-proof solutions. For more ideas see the Energy Saving Trust.
- Find the lowest comfortable temperature to avoid heating your home too much and wasting energy. According to the Energy Saving Trust, increasing the temperature by just one degree will increase your annual heating bill by about 10%.
- Bleed your radiators – By bleeding your radiator, you allow any trapped air to escape the radiator and the hot water will flow freely leading to your home being heated more efficiently and saving money on your bills.
- Install radiator reflectors – Radiator reflectors stop around 45% of heat going straight into walls and are a cheap way to help keep your home warm.
If your home is uninsulated, definitely consider investing in insulating your home. Although it is more expensive upfront, there are a range of benefits, and long term it will pay for itself. For more information visit here.

Outside the home:
There are also ways you can save money and reduce your impact on the environment outside of the home. For example, walking or cycling short distances instead of driving saves money on fuel, reduce carbon dioxide emissions and have a positive impact on your health.
Overall, there are many ways to save money and reduce our impact on the environment. By embracing these changes where you can will make a positive impact on your finances and the environment. As young people it is important to look after the environment as it is our futures which climate change is impacting. Remember, every small step counts, and collectively, our efforts can lead to substantial change. Start today and be a part of the solution for a greener, more sustainable future.
Together we can make Birmingham a greener and healthier place to live.
If you have any questions about any of the energy saving tips mentioned, worried about energy bills or keeping your house warm we are here to help.