Giki's simple energy efficiency steps for Earth Month

With Earth Day this month you can join over 1 billion people across the world who come together to raise awareness and protect our planet. This year's theme is renewable energy - making smart energy choices at home to create a healthier world.

Energy efficiency offers one of the most accessible ways to reduce our environmental impact while saving money. By adopting energy efficiency practices could save up to 25% of your annual energy costs while significantly reducing your carbon footprint without sacrificing comfort.

Some quick wins

• Turn off devices: Unplug devices rather than leaving them on standby – especially TVs, gaming consoles and chargers.
• Use eco settings on appliances: Choose eco modes on your dishwasher and washing machine to reduce energy consumption without sacrificing performance.
• Take shorter showers: Reducing your shower time from the UK average of 8 minutes to under 5 minutes makes a meaningful difference daily. Consider slightly lowering your water temperature if you regularly add cold water.
• Switch off lights when not needed: This saves energy and extends the life of your light bulbs.
• Cook efficiently: Use pan lids, batch cook, and consider energy-efficient cooking methods like air fryers or microwaves when appropriate.

Bigger Impact Steps

While small changes help, these more substantial actions could dramatically reduce your home's energy consumption and carbon footprint:

• Lower your thermostat by just 1°C: Heating (and cooling) typically accounts for about 80% of home energy use. This small adjustment can reduce your fuel use by approximately 10% immediately.
• Switch to green electricity: One of the most impactful changes you could make, cutting your electricity carbon footprint by up to 90%.

Whether you start with small daily changes or commit to larger investments in renewable energy, every action counts. No matter how small or how big, each step we take moves us in the right direction for our planet.