Your top tips for living sustainably

Here are our customers top tips for saving water around the home.

In the bathroom

1. Use water saving devices on the shower head and in the toilet.
2. Turn taps off while brushing your teeth.
3. Limit your shower time.
4. Have showers rather than baths.
5. Turn off the shower while shampooing or using bodywash.
6. Put the plug in the bath while showering and then reuse the water to flush the toilet. 
7. Collect the cold water before it runs hot to reuse. 

In the kitchen

1. Clean dishes in order of cleanliness.
2. Wash dishes by hand, not in the dishwasher.
3. Empty tumble-dryer condensate into a bucket to reuse.
4. Keep a flask next to the kettle for any leftover water.
5. Only use the washing machine when it’s full.
6. Wash vegetables in a bowl of water rather than under a running tap.
7. Boil a kettle and add cold water to get the temperature you need rather than running water until it’s hot. 

In the garden

1. Use a watering can rather than a hose.
2. Let grass go yellow in summer, it won’t die.
3. Use grey water to water plants. *
4. Use water butts to collect rainwater.
5. Open shower drains in summer to collect water. 
6. Don’t wash your car more than necessary 

*grey water – relatively clean wastewater, with no harsh chemicals in, left over from laundry, dishwashing, or bathing.

Our customers have shared sustainable tips for keeping their gardens looking great.  

Planting and growing  

1. Collect and harvest seeds from other plants. 
2. Research the best conditions for growing certain plants before buying them.  
3. Get bee-friendly or drought resistant plants.  
4. Grow your own fruit and vegetables.  
5. Don’t use weed killer or pesticides. 
6. Plant potatoes in bin bags supported with sticks. 
7. Rewild an area of the garden. 
8. Make use of window boxes if you don’t have a garden. 

Composting and soil care 

1. Use compost bins to get rid of household food waste, and to help plants.  
2. Make sure compost doesn’t contain peat. 
3. Put banana skins or ash from a wood burner onto the plants to give them potassium.  
4. Shred any garden waste to use as mulch.  
5. Use grass clippings and weeds as a compost base. 

DIY projects 

1. Put steel mesh over a pond if you have children or pets, rather than filling it in.
2. Make your own wormery. 
3. Make mini seedling pots from papier-mâché as they can decompose in the soil. 
4. Buy or make insect houses, bird feeders, hedgehog homes and nest boxes.  
5. Use old plastic tubs cut into strips to use as planter labels or recycle old ones.  
6. Upcycle household items to use in the garden. 

Useful tips 

1. Use soapy/grey water to spray on non-edible plants.  
2. Use teabags (that don’t contain plastic) to hold water in the soil. 
3. Share plant clippings or stray plants with friends and family. 
4. Use a water butt and watering can instead of a hose.
5. Cut lawns half as often. 
6. Don’t get fake lawns or turf.
7. Crushed eggshells and coffee grounds work as natural slug repellents. 
8. Used wooden cat litter can deter foxes. 

Whether you’re looking to go on holiday, or want to make your commute greener, our customers share their tips for travelling sustainably. 

Everyday travel  

1. Use public transport, walk, cycle or car share wherever possible. 

1. Use your car minimally if it is petrol or diesel. 

1. Look into getting an electric vehicle (EV). 

Traveling for a holiday 

1. Try to avoid travelling by air.  

1. Instead travel by train or try interrailing for international holidays. 

1. Use sites like The Man in Seat 61 to plan rail adventures around the world. 

Useful holiday tips 

1. Take chunks of your own soap and solid shampoo bars so you don’t have to use the plastic bottles in hotels. 

1. Take a reusable cup or bottle so you don’t have to use disposable ones. 

1. Pack food or snacks prepared at home for long journeys. 

1. Source sustainable luggage products, they are more expensive but will last longer. 

* The tips on this page are ideas submitted by Good Energy customers. They are not recommendations made by Good Energy staff. 

Our customers share their tips for choosing sustainable food.

Eating organically

1. Don’t overlook low-cost supermarkets as they often have organic produce. 
2. Don’t buy processed food. 
3. Avoid plastic packaging on products. 
4. Try organic versions of products you already buy. 
5. Gather fruit and vegetables left for rubbish collection after markets have closed. 

Cooking 

1. Cook from scratch using fresh ingredients. 
2. Store plenty of grain and pulses. 
3. Use coconut water and plant-based milk. 
4. Eat grass-fed British meat and avoid meat from abroad. 
5. Get a veg box subscription and make soups or stews. 

We asked our customers how they spend their summers in a sustainable way, from keeping cool to holidays and day trips.  

Holidays  

1. Go camping or on staycations rather than travelling abroad 
2. Take public transport to the beach rather than driving 
3. Get plastic/chemical free SPF products 
4. Always carry a refillable water bottle 

Being sustainable at home 

1. Make homemade ice lollies 
2. If you need to water plants, choose a time of the day that isn’t too hot 
3. Go for a walk at sunset when it’s cooler 
4. Get eco-friendly barbeque briquettes made from waste seed and crop husks 
5. Metal blinds keep insects out and help to keep the house cool 

* The tips on this page are ideas submitted by Good Energy customers. They are not recommendations made by Good Energy staff. 

Here are our customers’ tips for keeping cool in hot weather.

Keeping cool in the house

1. Close the curtains on the side of the house that gets the most sun.
2. Hang wet sheets in the windows or spray your curtains with water to cool your rooms down.
3. Keep windows and doors closed during the day and only open them in the evenings.
4. Don’t cook during the day as it will create too much excess heat in the house.
5. Have a cool shower before going to bed.
6. Keep a glass bottle of water in the fridge and refill when it is empty. 
7. Opening the loft hatch can help with airflow and keeping the house cool. 
8. Put a half-filled hot water bottle in the freezer and put it in your bed before you go to sleep. 
9. Stand a bottle of frozen water in front of a fan for cool air. 
10. Put reflective films on your windows to keep the heat out. 
11. Air source heat pumps can be reversed to act as air conditioning. 

Keeping cool in the garden

1. Get a canopy for your garden if there is no natural shade.
2. Put out a paddling pool to put your feet in, then use the water to water the plants in the evening.
3. Sit in the shade when outside.

Keeping cool when you are out

1. Wear light, loose cotton clothing.
2. Cover up with a thin shirt and wear a hat when you go out.
3. Keep a damp cloth on top of your head inside your hat.

Whether you’re at home, in the garden or out anywhere when it is hot, remember to drink plenty of cool water.

* The tips on this page are ideas submitted by Good Energy customers. They are not recommendations made by Good Energy staff.

Our customers provide some of the sustainable tips they have for staying warm in winter.

Short-term solutions

1. Wear layers of warm clothing indoors
2. Make or invest in woollen blankets
3. Close the curtains as soon as it gets dark to keep the heat in
4. Put a hot-water bottle in the bed before you get in

Long-term solutions

1. Install clip-in secondary glazing on windows, or get double glazing
2. Improve home insulation
3. Put in a log-burner or fireplace
4. Install quilted shutters or thermal curtains
5. Seal draughts

Heating

1. Get infrared heaters for each room
2. Set a heating timer to only come on when you’re at home
3. Look into getting an air source heat pump.

Our customers share their tips for celebrating a sustainable Easter

1. Buy Fairtrade or sustainable Easter eggs.
2. Avoid Easter eggs with lots of plastic packaging.
3. Make decorations by hand.
4. Stay local for the holidays.
5. Make your own Easter eggs or other snacks.
6. Don’t use plastic eggs for Easter egg hunts, use tokens which can be exchanged for chocolate.

Halloween isn’t always known for being the most sustainable holiday. Our customers share their tips for making yours greener.

1. Make decorations by hand. 
2. If you buy decorations, keep them for subsequent years. 
3. Make costumes by hand or get items from charity shops. 
4. Use homemade chocolates or biscuits for trick or treating. 
5. Use the insides of pumpkins to make soup and roast the seeds. 
6. Cut up the pumpkin skin to use as compost. 

Most of us are shopping, travelling, eating and drinking more at Christmas than any other time of year. Here are some areas you can reduce your carbon footprint this Christmas.

Cards and wrapping paper

1. Choose 100% recyclable cards and wrapping paper – that means no glitter and no plastic.
2. Make your own cards or send e-greetings for further flung friends.
3. Try to save and reuse wrapping paper and gift bags that have been given to you instead of buying more.

Christmas trees

1. Real trees have a carbon footprint around 10 times less than artificial trees.
2. But make sure they are disposed of correctly after Christmas by woodchipping, burning or better still – replanting.
3. Most local councils and many local charities have a tree collection scheme.
4. If you are going to go artificial, make sure you buy one that will last you 10+ years – most are binned after only four.

Aluminium and plastic

1. Buy loose vegetables and reuse last year’s decorations to reduce plastic waste
2. Buy gifts from small or ethical businesses that don’t use unnecessary plastic packaging.
3. Make sure foil wrappers are free from crumbs and scrunch items together into as big a ball as you can before placing it into the recycling.

Christmas presents

1. Focus on buying the gifts that family and friends have specifically asked for
2. Do a Secret Santa so everyone gets fewer gifts but things they really want
3. Put useful things and limit the plastic tat in stockings
4. If you receive something you know you won’t use – donate or sell it, don’t bin it.

Food

1. Cut down on meat by filling up your plate with vegetables and making on plant based stuffing
2. Get creative with leftovers between Christmas and New Year to reduce wasted food
3. Make space in your freezer now so that you can freeze leftovers
4. Donate unopened cans and packets to your local food bank.