Do you know which appliance at home consumes the most energy?
The world is now 1.1C warmer than it was in the 19th Century and the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen by 50%. Scientists have highlighted that our planet is on the brink of “catastrophe” and to end our long-term and convoluted relationship with fossil fuels will require one of the largest global behavioural shifts humanity has ever seen. However, research suggests that one of the most prominent drivers of encouraging greener behaviours is the incentive to save money. In a national study, the nation’s leading sustainability and money-saving consultancy, SaveMoneyCutCarbon, found that over two-thirds of the population (66%) agreed that they would implement more green behaviours and appliances if they knew it would save them money.
To that end, the sustainability superstore has highlighted exactly which products in the home are drinking the most energy and offer green solutions to reduce emissions:
35% of Brits did not know that a fridge-freezer accounts for the largest percentage of a household bill
The fridge freezer accounts for up to 13% of your energy bill. Based on 2022 energy price rises, an inefficient appliance can cost £138 or more each year to run, however, efficient appliances only add £41.
If your fridge or freezer is over 10 ten years old, then it may be time to start thinking about replacing it. Older fridge freezers use far more energy than they need to. A newer energy-efficient model means you’ll shortly pay back the upfront cost in energy savings. View SaveMoneyCutCarbons’s range here.
49% of Brits did not know that swapping their old washing machine for an energy-efficient one could reduce their bill by half
UK households use their washing machines an average of four times a week. An old model will be inefficient, using more power and water than is really needed.
SaveMoneyCutCarbon suggests the following tips to save money on your laundry: Fill your machine about 80% to allow room for the clothes to move and wash correctly. Save 38% on your energy use by choosing a wash temp of 30℃ instead of 40℃. If your clothes aren’t dirty, a wash temp of 20℃ can use 62% less energy – saving even more on your bills. Their range of energy-efficient washing machines can be found here.
79% of Brits did not know that by swapping a regular light bulb for LED, you could make sizeable savings on your electricity bill
Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights typically use less than a fifth of the power compared with traditional incandescent lamps. A typical household can save £150 a year by converting to LED. A quality LED is very efficient and durable lasting up to 50,000 hours. This leads to savings over many years in energy costs, maintenance costs and overall cost of ownership. If you use the LED for 8 hours a day, it should last for more than 17 years. Shop a range of LED lights here.
64% did not know that by changing shower heads and taps to low-flow eco models, you could reduce your water usage
Old-style shower heads can use up to 15-20 litres of water per minute and even modern ones will drain 10-12 litres per minute. Considering that people shower on average for 8 minutes, the amount of water consumed per person in a year flows into thousands of litres.
A quality low-flow eco shower head will reduce water consumption by up to 60% by mixing a restricted water flow with air so that it feels like the amount of water is just as powerful. With a hand shower head like the hansgrohe Hand Shower, you will save approximately £64.53 a year.
62% agreed that they did not know that leaving on your appliances accounts for 6% of the average household energy bill
The average amount of energy consumed by gadgets on standby or in a non-active state is between 6% and 16% of a home’s total energy bill. Some appliances use more energy when on standby than others – like games consoles, for instance. These are among the worst energy vampires in the home and they stay in “idle” mode when they are not being used – costing as much as £95 a year.
Another option is to look at using smart plugs to provide you with more flexibility and control.
How can people save despite the energy price cap?
Providing sustainable and long-term solutions, SaveMoneyCutCarbon has recently launched its industry-first home app, SaveMoneyCutCarbon Home. The Android and iOS solution provides a personalised view of which products in your home use the most energy, water and single-use plastic, and subsequently suggests swaps for eco-friendly alternatives. Based on the finding that 40% of the UK’s carbon emissions originate from households, the app is the first to identify the worst domestic energy and waste culprits through its “Swap Shop” tool. The service offers infinite sustainable replacements that can reduce your energy bills and other monthly expenses by hundreds. The launch comes amidst the UK’s worst cost-of-living crisis this generation has ever seen, with energy bills now at a record-breaking 40-year high.
