With energy bills soaring, we’ve all had to make changes to how we live. But did you know just how many of these changes can also help the environment?
Bike Bute is part of Fyne Futures, a charity committed to environmental sustainability on Bute. That’s why we’ve collected some ideas (including cycling, of course!) to help you be kinder to the planet …and your pocket…
Ditch the Dryer!
Busy families typically rely on tumble driers for the Sunday wash, but rising energy costs have made this a costly way to dry. In fact, the average cotton load costs around £1.60 per cycle.
By returning to the days of the ‘Hebridean tumble drier’ (the washing line, that is), you’ll save money and have that wonderful fresh air scent – without having to pay for it!
Use your shower curtain rod to hang up your wet laundry if you don’t have a washing line – and if you really can’t do without your tumble drier, why not prioritise next-day clothes and hang the rest up to dry in their own good time…?
Swap out your old lightbulbs
If you’re still using old lightbulbs at home, it’s time to change!
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs – or even better, LED lights – use around 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, and last years longer too! That means saving money on your energy bills …and far fewer trips up a ladder to change them:)
For those with inset halogen lighting, check if your bulbs can be replaced with LEDs. As inset lighting often has many light points, you could make significant savings by swapping to LED.
Turn off your electronics:
TVs; chargers; computers: we all have devices that we leave on standby rather than switching them off when not in use!
But did you know that your appliance’s standby mode still uses your electricity? In fact, between 9 and 16% of the energy we use in our homes comes from powering appliances in stand-by mode.
It all mounts up!
Unplugging your appliances when they aren’t in use will save you money on electricity bills and reduce your carbon footprint.
Plant a legacy
If you have some unused garden space, planting a tree can be a great way of helping to offset carbon emissions for the future.
Trees will start to impact carbon offsetting from about 30 years into their growing cycle, so if you can plant one, you have left a legacy for generations to come!
For those with green fingers, it’s also a good idea to plant native plants in your garden instead of exotic ones: native plants will help support local wildlife and those busy little pollinating bees we depend on.
…and if you don’t have a garden, why not come and volunteer at one of the Incredible Edible sites on the island, and help create greener living spaces that we can all enjoy?
Take shorter showers…
Most of us like a good hot shower to start the day, and encouraging the water babies in your home to cut their shower time can be tricky!
But if you consider that the average 10-minute scrub-down costs around 50p – multiplied by the number of people in your home, there’s good reason to try.
Why not set a five-minute rule, or put an egg-timer in your shower to help keep track? You may even find that mornings become less hectic!
…and cool your wash…
No – we don’t mean taking a cold shower 🙂
When it comes to washing clothes, today’s detergents are designed to get the same result from a cooler wash, helping the environment – and your purse!
In fact, doing your laundry at 30ºC, instead of 40ºC, can cut your washing machine cycle cost by 38%, according to a study by Which magazine.
Upcycle old furniture
Nothing stays good forever, but you can breathe new life into old furniture with a little TLC!
Upcycling your furniture – whether painting, fixing or repurposing it – is a great way to save money and avoid adding more to our local landfill.
A touch of paint and a little creativity can give a table or a chest of drawers many more years of use – not forgetting that little ‘glow’ of pride when you see your masterpiece in place!
And if you don’t consider yourself to be the creative type, (we believe everyone can be!), take a peek in the local charity shop, Restyle, where you can find pre-loved items which have been restored or upcycled – and all for the benefit of our Bute community.
Use refills and be good to your blue bin!
Where you can, buy refill packs instead of buying the full product in jars or tubs – it’s cheaper! Everything from coffee to cereal, laundry products and herbs and spices can be bought in cardboard packaging, which can then be decanted into the original container.
Not only does this help your purse, but it helps the planet by reducing landfill… and on a purely practical level, it will give you more space in your green bin!
If you don’t have a blue bin, you can order one for free from Argyll and Bute Council.
Get on your bike!
Whether for short trips to the shop, to work, or a leisurely outing, cycling is a great way to get fit, save money on petrol, and reduce your carbon emissions. Find out more about the benefits of cycling.
Naturally, if you don’t have a bike, you could hire one of our super Raleigh e-bikes to get out and about. Find out more about Bike Bute on our FAQ and get back into the habit!
Find a carpool buddy:
Carpooling is so easy to set up with friends or colleagues if you have to use a car to get to work!
As well as reducing the number of cars on the roads, a shared journey will save you money on fuel, and help reduce the wear and tear on your car. Ask around at work if anyone is interested in sharing the journey, and take it from there!
Teach. Learn. Inspire.
If some of these ideas are second nature to you – or even if you’re just picking up a few extra ‘green’ tips, it benefits us all as a community to help others to learn about the difference they can make.
Helping an elderly neighbour with their blue bin, or choosing to cycle instead of taking the car, sets great examples to others of living sustainably on Bute…and it rubs off on our children. That said, your children or grandchildren may well be the experts in this field!
As part of the Eco-schools Scotland programme, Rothesay Joint Campus has been championing climate action and sustainability with its students for many years.
Why not ask your own young ones what they know about the environment, and agree what you can do as a family to make changes in and around the home? We are all in this together, working towards a greener, sustainable life on Bute!
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