Check out these 18 easy to understand ways that you could make your life that bit greener – by Geoff.

1. Encourage/support local “green” activities, clubs, societies, trades, buy food from local growers.
2. Be informed about energy use,  eg can you read your meters and understand your bill?
   Know how much energy each appliance uses and costs, Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances especially heaters.
3. Insulate, also make sure your thermostats are correctly set. Boiler serviced?
4. Know a little about energy (see Ladybird books!) eg do you understand that for every unit of electricity generated power stations burn at least 2.5 units of fuel. On Shore wind generators are the cheapest source of electricity, Off Shore are the dearest – not counting the long term liability of nuclear waste.
5. Have solar panels both Photo-voltaic & Water heating. (I’ve had solar water heating for 30years – it works).
6. Know about ground source and air source heating systems and where they are/are not a good idea.
7. DIY – all sorts, keep your eyes open and learn new skills as a matter of common sense.
   Plant Trees, Grow Veg …Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, Beans Broad/Runner/French, Lettuce,  Radishes, Tomatoes.
8. Compost garden and household waste, think about having a greenhouse. Conserve water, Install water buts, what about Grey Water?
9. Use up leftovers, Don’t throw food away.
10. Keep chickens – last year my 3 hens laid 991 lovely eggs.  – app. £250 at shop prices.  Those birds cost £7 each and their feed totalled less than £40 p.a.
11. Ride Bikes also Walk – for health, enjoyment, saving car use.  Excepting in bad weather, cycling can and should always be easy, comfortable and enjoyable if it isn’t get help.  (Research has shown that cycling can put off body ageing by many years)
12. Driving sensibly reduces wear and improves mpg – Some cars have an mpg meter. They ought to be standard in every car.
13. Think about disposing of anything – there is no such thing as throw away, somewhere someone has to do something with it!
14. Recycle where possible,  put “it” on Ebay, Freegle, or offer to charity shops.
15. Print (computer paper) on both sides when suitable.
16. Complain about things that are wrong  eg  whenever food growing land is taken for any sort of development. Bad design eg new houses where living rooms don’t see the sun, attics don’t allow for use as storage, roofs unsuitable for solar panels, not well insulated, gas boiler fumes output below head height, garages with no person door no room for bicycles freezer or garden tools …. the list goes on and on
17. Save Xmas card blank page eg for use as lists etc.
18. Holiday less abroad and more in UK.

These are just a start.  You can probably think of many more opportunities.