Go Green In 2014: Why You Should Replace Your Old Appliances

Replacing older home appliances is one of the most practical and effective steps a homeowner can take to reduce energy consumption. Not only is it great for the environment and means you do your bit to help save the planet it also means you save the pennies by replacing a few main appliances in the home and going for a newer, more energy efficient version.
With the new year looming, why not make it one of your New Year resolutions and upgrade your appliances? Check out the list below to see examples of appliances you should consider investing in.
An Eco Kettle
Kettles actually use a tremendous amount of energy to power them and many of us are guilty of overfilling our kettle, it’s estimated that in the UK, £68m is wasted a year from doing this. By investing in an eco-kettle, it cleverly measures the amount of water required for a single cup of tea or coffee so you don’t have to worry about wastage and you’ll be helping to cut down on your energy costs.
Water Efficient Toilets
Many newer properties will have installed toilets fitted with a ‘short-flush’ option. We use up 30% of our water every time we use the toilet so if you have an older model it makes sense to upgrade. Newer toilets are very competitively priced and you’ll be saving 2 to 3 litres of water every time you flush.
Energy Saving Washing Machines
The most efficient washing machines will use 33litres of water for a standard load; the least efficient machines use 72 litres. This does vary between machines even with the same energy rating so make sure you find out the performance of the washing machine before you buy. Try to limit the amount of times you run a pre rinse cycle and only use your machine on a full load to save wasting water, lowering the temperature can also help to cut energy bill costs.
Eco-friendly Shower Head
It’s well known that having showers as opposed to baths saves a lot of water and is better for the planet. Getting an eco-friendly shower head can help you to reduce water wastage even further by giving the same ‘feeling’ of a power shower, thanks to adding air into the stream of water coming from the shower and it does this using less water than a conventional shower. They are cheaper than most power shower systems and simple to install.
Refrigerator Thermometer
Fridges are not cheap so if you can’t justify purchasing a new one, consider buying a fridge thermometer. They can be hung inside the fridge thanks to the attachment or just placed inside the fridge thanks to its flat base. It can be adjusted to the optimum temperature to tell you when your fridge or freezer is too cold so that you can save valuable money and energy.
30 Minute Timer
It’s estimated that we spend up to 1.3 billion a year every single year by leaving our appliances on standby; this is up to 16% of our household energy usage.
A 30 minute timer when plugged into a multi-socket extension lead automatically turns off the power to appliances left turned on after a 30 minute period. This drastically reduces the risk of fires and other hazards in the home as well as keeping your energy bills lower.  This is particularly useful for things like an iron which can significantly overheat if it is left plugged in unattended.
Eco-Toaster
Toasters waste a lot of energy in the home as they are often left plugged in and as with most conventional toasters do not allow you to toast just one slice at a time. An eco-toaster has a slot that makes this possible which can help you make an energy saving of up to 50%.
Pro Energy Cylinder Cleaner
Consider getting rid of your old vacuum cleaner and replacing it for an energy saving vacuum cleaner. These have different settings depending on whether you’re using the hoover on carpet, flooring or even upholstery which means you get maximum performance while saving 50% on energy.
This article was written by Amy Elliott from Appliance City. The team at Appliance City like to promote a green way of living and believe that inveting in eco-friendly appliances will in time help to save the environment and money. Amy writes for them in her spare time so as to spread the message of green living.

The Three Best Ways To Protect The Planet

The planet we live on is changing and as a result of our actions its lifespan is reducing dramatically. There are so many different companies out there nowadays that then profess to offer ways to reduce the damage we are causing but in truth these methods are often born out of fantasy and are extremely difficult to implement.
Moving forward, naturally a focus on renewable forms of energy will be extremely beneficial and have an extremely positive effect but these methods have to be much more affordable and relative to the environment they are contained within.
As I have mentioned before, we live in the internet age and there is an abundance of research data available online that can help us understand and engage with the problem at hand. Protecting the environment should be high on the agenda for our governments as it is the simplest and most effective way to put in place mass changes on a vast scale, quickly and efficiently.

Renewable Energy

This is pretty much the best way to protect the planet in the long term. There are so many companies out there that have the technology we need but it is simply a question of cost. It cannot be disputed that renewable energy is both expensive and difficult to install.
The fact that it is a form of energy that is reliant on the weather makes it almost impossible to universally apply but in certain countries renewable forms of energy can be a brilliant way to generate efficient and cost effective energy.
The non-renewable forms of energy are going to run out one day, that is something that cannot be disputed and therefore governments must be looking towards renewable forms of energy to create the basis for an energy efficient future.
Instead of investing time and money in wars that are wholly unnecessary, why not invest in the future of the planet that has given us this wonderfully unique and rare opportunity.

 

Utilities

This is another simple yet effective way to protect the planet and save yourself a lot of money personally too. We all waste so much energy in our homes and that in turn costs us a lot more money each week on our bills. It is a vicious cycle but I do agree it is something that is extremely tough to quantify.
Energy is so abundant nowadays and people can be forgiven for being a little frivolous but with just a little education, we can nationally save a hell of a lot of cash. There are companies out there such as Agua Flux that sell great accessories designed to save you water in your house for example and must be looked into.

 

Recycle

This is the simplest and the most widely used method of protection and conservation but again it isn’t that efficient nor effective. Naturally, recycling is better than not recycling but I think there are a lot better and more effective methods or protection. Spend a little time researching and start taking care of this fragile planet we all share.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Marcus Jackson is a writer with a love for the environment. He writes articles with the sole intention of raising awareness about the damage we cause on a day to day basis and ways to protect the planet.

How To Live In An Environmentally Friendly Way

Do you sometimes reflect on the way you live and end up feeling bad about the impact your existence is having on the environment? Is so then you are like most of us but feeling bad won’t get you or the environment anywhere, decisive action is needed. You can make today the first day that you begin to live a greener life but you’ll need a guide to show you how. Well you’re in luck; let’s take a look at how you can live in a more environmentally friendly way.

Use Natural Products

Are you removing household stains and odours with bleach, vapour sprays and other mass produced cleaning agents? The answer to that question for most of us will be yes but have you considered using natural products instead? Why? Because they can do just as a good a job, they don’t contain toxins that will pollute the environment and it’s cheaper. Try removing a stain with a mixture of vinegar and water or some baking soda and you will see that they are just as good as the products you usually buy and without having to buy them you will be reducing the amount of rubbish you amass.

Eat Less Meat

The amount of land and resources which used up to sustain the demand for meat throughout the world is huge. If we all did our bit and just had 1 0r 2 days a week when we didn’t eat meat we could greatly reduce these figures freeing up more land for us to enjoy and less destruction of areas to create farm land. When was the last time you went a whole day without eating meat?

No More Plastic Bags

This is one that we will all be familiar with. You’re probably sick of being asked if you want a bag every time you go shopping but you really should consider bringing your own canvas bag which will last for years and eliminate the need for plastic bags. Think about how many plastic bags you throw out each week and then think about how long they take to decompose, the number is staggering.

Snuggle More

Do you have you heating blasting for most of the night? Try using it much less and when you’re cold put some extra layers on and snuggle up to a loved one (that includes the dog). Reducing the amount of oil or gas you use will greatly reduce your carbon footprint and as we all know these resources are on the decline.

Consider The Alternatives

Get some information on alternative energy sources and how you can utilise them. Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power are going to be the ‘must haves’ of the future so why not get in their early. Many governments offer incentives to people who use solar energy and your electricity bills will be greatly reduced so find out more about your options.

Plant A Tree

This is one of the simplest solutions out there but it really does help reduce your carbon footprint. Try planting a tree in your garden which will produce more oxygen for the environment, it’s that simple. Not only will it produce oxygen but it will use the carbon that you produce which will set you well on your way to living a much more environmentally friendly life.

Here's How You Can Help The Environment In 2 Minutes A Day

Saving the planet is not difficult. You can help the environment in 2 minutes a day by using common sense and logic. It does not take expensive ingredients to go green, but a desire to do your part. There are hundreds of tips and tricks written and suggested and you can probably think of many more.

Change your Bulbs

One of the best ways to help the environment in 2 minutes is to change your lights. You need to replace your old regular light bulbs with a new fluorescent bulb. The contamination reduction is equal to removing thousands of cars from the road in a one year period. There are regulations in place that require electric light bulb manufactures to cease producing traditional bulbs. Get used to those swirly fluorescents.

Turn off Computers

Do you leave your computer on all the time? Computers need sleep too and instead of leaving in it sleep mode all night you can save 40 watt hours per day buy turning your computer totally off at night. If you have a timer you can set it to turn on your computer automatically a few minutes before you get to work.

Don’t Rise Dishes

Many consumers have the feeling that they have to wash their dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Today’s dishwasher models are designed to take excess foods off the dishes and flush them away. By not rinsing your dishes before your load them, you can save up to 20 gallons of water each load. You are also saving the time and energy that it takes to heat hand washing water.

No Pre-Heating

Avoid preheating the oven. Just turn it on when you put in your food. You do, however need to use the pre-heat selection when you are baking. Check the condition of your food through the oven window instead of constantly opening the door.

Recycle Glass

If you recycle your glass instead of throwing glass in the trash you will reduce pollution by almost 20 percent. Related water pollution that is caused by glass can be reduced by 50 percent. Glass does take almost a million years to decompose.

Cloth Diapers

You will have a terrible time convincing mothers and fathers that they need to use cloth diapers. Yet we use about 4000 to 8000 diapers on a child from the day of birth until they are potty trained. Diapers are nasty, generally do not decompose quickly, and fill up trash sites. Find a friendlier disposable if you insist on using these types of diapers. You can find eco-friendly diapers in the organic section of your supermarket.

Vegetarian Diets

If you have ever wanted to jump on the vegetarian bandwagon for a meal or too, you can switch in no time and save the planet. One less meat based meal during a one week period will give both you and the planet increased health. It requires 400 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. It takes only a couple of gallons of water to produce lettuce. Save trees by eating vegetarian. Every hamburger that comes from animals raised on rainforest land costs approximately 44 square feet of trees.

No Bottled Water

Almost 100 percent of plastic water bottles never hit the recycling bin. They do take thousands of years to decompose and when throw away water bottles on the ground you produce an ugly landscape and damaged ecology. Your tap water is better for you than most bottled waters, which is really fancy tap water. The FDA has more stringent requirements for home tap water than bottled water manufacturers.

Featured images:

•  License: Image author owned 

While working with DATS Environment Services, the author, Craig Miller, has been working to educate people on how they can do their part in helping to take care of the environment. He has contributed many articles to different sites and spoken at several green conferences.

Still Using Paper in your Business? What You Need to Know to take the Paperless Jump

These days you hear a great deal about companies going paperless. Many types of businesses have adopted the practice — everything from caterpillar equipment sellers to custom clothing designers. The word “paperless” does not mean the company no longer uses any paper, but rather, it has transferred the majority of its paperwork online.
This type of business move makes sense for a number of reasons, since it’s convenient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. Here are some factors you should keep in mind if your company is considering going paperless.
It Cuts Expenses
In a tight economy, companies are always looking for ways to save money. Cutting spending is a good reason to go paperless, since online business is very cost-effective. Corporations spend millions of dollars each year on the ink, printers, and paper needed to print documents. For online business, you just need a website, email, and some sort of content management system. You may need to invest in a few things at first, but that won’t even making a dent in the amount of money you’ll be saving.
It Reduces Your Carbon Footprint
Another reason going paperless is so popular is that more and more businesses are adopting eco-friendly practices. Paperless business will help reduce the harmful impact you have on the environment. By doing online business, you’re using fewer office supplies, meaning you’re cutting down on the amount of waste your company produces.
It Saves Time for Your Staff
When you’re mailing out paper documents, it takes a while to prepare them. To send letters or bills to customers and business contacts, employees traditionally print them out and sign them. They then address, stuff, and seal the envelope. While it may not seem like a long process, employees can spend hours sending out mailings to customers. With paperless business, you can deliver important documents with the click of a button.
It Elicits Varying Reactions from Customers
Some customers will find paperless business to be easy and convenient. Many people would rather receive bills and other notices online. They figure making payments or receiving notices is just easier on the computer. For most people, it is also much faster to do paperless business.
Others, however, are against companies going paperless. They feel that as loyal customers, it’s their right to receive paper notices. These customers may think it’s easier to remember to pay a bill if it’s physically sent to their home. They may not be very tech-savvy and might have experience difficulty when doing their business online. It’s also important to realize that not everyone has reliable Internet access. Although it’s difficult to imagine life without a computer for many of us, some elderly citizens are resistant to buying one. If you do decide to go paperless, you should make sure these customers are still able to receive paper notices.

This post is brought to you by guest author CJ, a business enthusiast who enjoys writing about everything from going paperless to the latest caterpillar equipment.

Hot Drinks Warming The Planet Too?

If you want to know what small changes in your behavior can mean for the overall health of the planet then look no further than this infographic from the other side of the pond in the UK. They are well known for drinking a lot of tea over there and when you drill down into the numbers it is quite staggering just how much greenhouse gas is emitted because of this habit. It turns out that you would have to drive some two and a half billion miles in an average car to generate as much emissions as hot drinks do in a year.

It makes you wonder about what other small changes we could make to our lives that would lead to huge collective savings in our carbon footprint. Maybe this strategy would work better than trying to get people to make huge, drastic changes which they are much more likely to resent or simply fail at.

Steve Waller runs his own green living blog, aptly named Green Steve and wants to educate and inform people about the ways they can reduce their overall impact on the environment. With posts on recycling, clean energy, green travel and more, his blog has a wealth of useful information.

Where does the UKs electricity come from?

Almost 40 countries across six continents make up for more than half of the fuel that the United Kingdom uses. They are the damning facts of the latest statistics about our fuel production and outsourcing. With so much talk about renewable energy and being self-sufficient, this is just another piece of information that should spark the UK into action.

Dependence on other countries to run our electricity supply is something that we all knew was true, but with just 43.1% of fuel being sourced in the UK we need to sit up and take note. Seeing the facts and figures in the cold light of day just brings home the sheer size of our problem.
With around half of the country’s population keen on the idea of being self-sufficient with their electricity, this research will make us wonder just how we could reach a 100% goal in the next 40 years. Poland, USA, Indonesia, Russia and Columbia all send the coal, while Qatar produces the majority of our liquefied gas and our dependency on imported uranium adds Canada and Australia to the mix. There are countries across Africa, Asia & the Middle East, Australasia, Europe along with North and South America all doing their bit to keep us warm at night.

In a lot of ways, it’s not the percentages that are the shock but just the sheer amount of countries that the UK needs to sustain the population. The research and time that has evidently gone into this was thorough and detailed, and it’s this determination and mind-set that the whole of the United Kingdom needs if we’re going to lower our fuel output. Whether you’re unplugging your laptops before you go to bed or switching your home to good, green energy, slowly but surely we can all make a difference.

Infographic one - continent level

Source: Green Energy, Renewable Energy Company

Infographic two - country level

Source: Green Energy, Renewable Energy Company

Don’t Drive Across Town for Cheap Gas-- Seriously, Don’t Do It

Summer is fast approaching, and with it, higher prices at the pump. While it may make you feel better to drive to a neighboring town to secure cheaper gasoline, it’s almost always more expensive to make the trip. Here is the truth, the math, and some ideas for better ways to spend your money.

$4.00 per gallon seems like a princely sum to pay just for the ability to burn it all transporting yourself from one appointment to the next. So, naturally, $3.95 sounds a LOT better. But unless the nickel-cheaper gas is selling at the filling station immediately next door to the more expensive stuff, you’re better off completely ignoring the cost and just filling up at whichever station is nearest to you. Why?

Let’s use some average numbers for cars. Your vehicle will differ, but this will give an idea as to how the numbers work out when bargain shopping for gasoline. For our example, we’ll use a vehicle with a 15-gallon gas tank. The average combined fuel economy of the car is 25mpg. The service station with the $4.00 gas is next door to our home, but the discount fuel is 5 miles away.

1. Price Only

Gasoline prices seem to bewitch people. You’d never drive a 10-mile round-trip to save $0.75 on a $60 item, but when you drive five miles each way to save a nickel per gallon on a fill-up, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Consider: A full, 15-gal. tank of fuel at $4.00/gal. costs $60.00. A full, 15-gal. tank of fuel at $3.95/gal. costs $59.25. Savings = $0.75. What if you only have a 10 gal. tank? You’ll pay $40 and $39.50 respectively, for a full tank. $0.50 is not much savings!

2. Mileage Matters

If it feels better to get the lower price, and you think the $0.75 is worth the trip, you still lose. You’ll travel 10 miles to get the cheap gas, but you’ll burn more fuel driving there and back than you’ll be able to buy with the money you save. At 25mpg, and assuming you leave your driveway and make the round-trip with no traffic and under optimal conditions, you’ll use 0.4 gal. of gas. At the discounted rate of $3.95, you’ll have to pay $1.58 to buy the 0.4 gal. you’ll use to drive to and from the station. Remember, this trip was undertaken to realize a $0.75 total savings. But instead, you’ve now lost $0.83. Would you drive across town to deliberately spend $0.83 more on a $60 purchase?

3. Higher Prices = Less Reason to Travel for a Deal

Every time the cost of fuel goes up, the cost per mile traveled goes up with it. And it consequently makes even less sense to drive out of your way to save a few cents. At $4.50 and $4.45 per gallon at our dueling stations, you’ll still only be traveling for a $0.75 total discount, but now it cost you $1.78 to make the 10-mile trip. Now you’ve spent $1.03 more than you would have if you just bought the $4.50 gas.

4. What about a HUGE Sale?

In the above example, the nearby station offered $4.50 gas. What if the 5-mile-away station had a HUGE sale resulting in $4.25 gas? You’ll spend $67.50 and $63.75 respectively to fill up, resulting in a savings of $3.75. But, you’ll spend $1.70 in extra fuel costs for the privilege. The total savings on filling your tank = $2.05… about a 3% savings. If you were buying any other item in the $60 price range, would a 3% discount entice you to drive across town? Chances are you’d laugh if you saw an advertisement for a HUGE 3%-off sale.

5. Time is Money

We haven’t accounted for your time in these examples, but you can safely assume that the 10-mile round trip (driving time only, unimpeded, at 55mph) will add a bare minimum of 10.9 minutes to your fueling experience. If you make minimum wage ($7.25/ hr), that 10.9 minutes of your time is worth $1.32. Now, even the HUGE sale example is only worth $0.73 in savings. You get the idea – it’s no deal to travel for gas savings!

6. Do This Instead

In lieu of the cross-town fill-up trip, spend a few minutes making sure your car is ready for the summer. Check the air pressure in your tires, test the battery charge, make sure all exterior lights are functioning and swap out your windshield wiper blades. That will take you about the same 10.9 minutes you formerly spent driving around looking for cheap gas, and is a much better way to spend your valuable time.

Battery Operated Vehicles Gaining on the Gas Guzzlers

Are we hearing the death throes of the internal combustion engine? Will the whine and purr of electric motors replace the muffled roar of gas powered vehicles?
Seems every time we turn around electric ATVs, motorcycles, and other vehicles are sneaking silently up on us, especially as battery technology improves, and the cost of gas jumps over $4 per gallon in some parts of the country.

The plus side of battery operated vehicles

Electrics are not just better for the environment, but today’s battery operated vehicles really do have some distinct advantages:

Lighter and quieter
Electric ATVs and motorcycles run on smaller motors and use lighter batteries, which makes them a lot lighter than their gas-powered counterparts. Electrics are also a lot quieter. So If you're off-roading through a park, you can actually enjoy the peace and quiet as you explore nature.  And while die-hard outdoor enthusiasts may not like your tires ripping through the landscape, they won’t be able to complain about air pollution or noise as you pass by.

Instant torque
Electric vehicles out-accelerate their gas counterparts in the low-end power curve. Electric energy moves through their motors at the speed of light, so there’s no lag time between the twist of the throttle and power to the wheels. Torque is instantly transferred to the drivetrain. In fact, electric ATVs and motorcycles have three times the amount of torque compared to the gas-powered vehicles. Perfectly suited for heavy pulling, hauling or steep climbing.

Low maintenance

Electrics simply have fewer moving parts, which means less repairs, reduced maintenance chores and lower operating costs. An electric ATV or motorcycle needs no oil changes, and you don’t have to replace hoses, filters, or exhaust systems.

No more $4/gallon gas
Finally, no more trips to the gas pump with an electric ATV or motorcycle. Just plug them in to charge the battery and go. Some electric ATVs can run an average of 2.5 hours on a single charge. If you do a lot of desert off-roading, there’s even a solar charger, so you can charge your ATV  with free power from the sun.

Zero pollution
Gas-powered ATVs emit as many pollutants as four cars in one hour (there are no pollution controls on ATVs).  Clearly, the environmental impact of electric ATVs and other battery operated vehicles is next to nothing. It could be argued that the pollution is just pushed up the supply chain to more coal-burning plants, but with electric you have the option of buying your power from additional sources like wind and solar, unlike gas, where petroleum has to burn to get your vehicle moving.

More manufacturers getting juiced on electrics
More manufacturers are getting into the game. Brammo, a top manufacturer of electric motorcycles, makes bikes that can exceed 100mph. Not bad for a motorcycle that doesn’t use a drop of gas. They even make motorcycles designed for racing. Other jumping on the electric off-road bandwagon include Polaris and Barefoot Motors. The recent EV Taiwan & Motorcycle Taiwan exhibition saw a 25% increase in exhibitors, indicating the surge in popularity of electric vehicles. The Hong Kong government is even replacing its gas-powered motorcycles with Brammo’s electric ones.

Yep, electrics are taking off
Battery operated motorcycles, ATVs, and other electric vehicles are seeing an increase in popularity, with new technology creating better-performing vehicles. As fuel prices and environmental concerns increase, the move to electric vehicles will continue to gain more traction.

George Zeed lives in Grants Pass Oregon and works for ImpactBattery.com. An avid outdoorsman and environmentalist, he writes about topics related to all kinds of recreational vehicles and accessories. He is also the "go to guy" for information when shopping for items like motorcycle battery chargers and solar panels

Production Materials For Truly Eco-friendly Coffee

"Eco-friendly", when applied to coffee, has become something of a marketing asset. For a retailer chasing the 'Green Pound' it's important to come across as a responsible, caring company. For the consumer there are a number of factors that may lead them to make the purchase - does they feel good that the produce is from a sustainable source? Is it that they care for the welfare of those individuals working to bring them the coffee?
However, that applies to the coffee itself. If you want a truly enjoyable drink then it's important not only to consider the coffee, but also the espresso cups you're using to drink out of. For if the coffee has been produced to high green standards but the cup is made by a toxic, harmful process then it diminishes the value of your efforts.

It's not necessarily easy to understand the processes of how a cup is made when considering the environment, so it's perhaps useful to start with the materials themselves - porcelain, clay and glass.
Porcelain is arguably the material used in most coffee and espresso cups because of its versatility. It's easy to mould into unique, interesting shapes and has the capacity for application of colour making it aesthetically pleasing. Porcelain is also good for heat retention, meaning the drink will stay warm or hot for a reasonable amount of time.

Porcelain is made by firing a combination of natural base materials in a kiln, including clay, flint and silica. Kiln-firing can be eco-friendly depending on the kiln. Newer kilns are specifically designed with emission-reduction and energy efficiency in mind, which can be increased by using carbonaceous waste materials. Porcelain manufacture doesn't produce any by-products that can't be recycled back into the manufacturing process.

Clay is a natural material that has been used as in building everything from structures to smaller items for thousands of years. Clay, as mentioned above, is used during the manufacturing of other building materials due to its useful attributes. Clay is used in coffee or espresso cup production but is not as versatile as porcelain for colour application, and not as good at retaining heat as glass. Clay is considered to be fairly eco-friendly.

Glass is considered, at least by many consumers, to be one of the most environmentally-friendly materials, especially when used in packaging. Glass has the benefit of not adding anything to the taste of the food or drink it can contain. Combine that with its ability to be sculptured into any shape and its great heat-retention qualities and glass appears to be an excellent material for coffee cup manufacture. Glass can be recycled, making it comparatively sustainable as a building material. However glass is created at high temperature meaning whether it is eco-friendly or not depends on the type of fuel used to create those temperatures within a glass factory. When compared to plastic, glass is certainly more eco-friendly.
Next time you consider buying eco-friendly coffee spare a small thought for your coffee cup - does it meet your high standards?

This article is a post from Espresso Deco (http://espressodeco.com/), a UK coffeeware retailer.

Top 5 Modern Technologies That Can Cut Household Costs

With credit squeezed, salaries frozen and unemployment rising we are all feeling the economic pinch these days. Once, household technology was solely about buying the latest gadget, be it home cinema or a new smart phone, before the old one had even approached the end of its useful life. But in the last couple of years, with the credit crunch, people have become increasingly aware of what technology has to offer to help them actually save money. Some of this technology has been around for a while, whilst other developments are decidedly cutting-edge.

Here is our top five of modern technologies that can cut household costs:

1. LED and Compact Fluorescent Lamps - energy saving bulbs last far longer than traditional incandescent bulbs and have lower running costs. The initial higher cost of each bulb is recouped within an average first six months of the bulb's life and then one starts to enjoy the savings this technology provides. LED lights are very efficient and are readily available in sizes that can be used in standard household fittings. Some users, however, find that the colour range of light from cheaper LEDs is not pleasing. Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) are a proven technology which, again, offers the consumer savings by providing longer bulb life and cheaper running costs for the initial higher outlay. CFLs reach full brightness more quickly than LEDs and, in many people’s opinion, are more aesthetically pleasing.

2. Double Glazing and Home Insulation - two different technologies, but both address the same issue: once you've paid the energy costs of heating your home, it makes sense to make every effort to stop that heat escaping. Double glazing involves a high initial cost, but will, for the average house, bring energy savings of around £165 pa, year on year. Some 33% of a home's heat is lost through the walls and another 20% through the roof. For a relatively modest outlay, cavity wall insulation and full 270mm loft insulation can give significant savings.

3. Solar Water Heating - once installed, this provides your home with a free source of warm water. The installation will pay for itself within 7 - 15 years and then begin to provide savings.

4. Solar Power by Photovoltaic Cells - solar power is a major investment, taking the average household some 20 - 30 years to recoup. Some of the cost, however, can be offset by linking some of the electricity produced to the national grid.

5. The Internet - or, more specifically, price comparison sites and smart phone apps. This technology offers the consumer the chance to compare prices and secure the best deal on a whole range of goods and services.

This article was written in association with Geothermal International, experts in geothermal energy.