Save energy with your washing machine. Modern washing powders often let you achieve the same results with lower temperatures.

Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Every year in the UK it kills around 50 people and sends 4000 to A&E for emergency treatment. Make sure you get all your combustion appliances properly serviced and fit an alarm. Good quality alarms are available from most DIY suppliers and take minutes to fit. It could save your life!

Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl, not under a running tap, to cut water use. Use the leftover water for your houseplants or patio pots.

Fit a water butt to collect rainwater. Your roof collects about 85,000 litres of rain each year (around 450 butts full). That’s water you can use for your plants and to wash the car, and it’s free!

Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save up to £8 a year off your energy bills, per person. With a water meter this could save a further £11 off annual water and sewerage bills. If everyone in a four-person household did this it would lead to a total saving of £75 a year.

Use the sun to reduce your heating bills. Leave internal doors open to rooms which trap the sun so the heat can spread to other areas.

Solid brick walls can be insulated internally or externally to reduce heat loss.

Draught excluders are a cheap way of cutting out the chill from poorly fitting doors and windows. Most are also easy to fit, a simple DIY task.

Only fill your kettle with the water you need. You will save both water and energy.

Washing a small load of clothes? Check you washing machine’s settings to see if you can use the “half load” programme to save water and energy.