Be a holiday eco-hero this festive season

We’ve put together some tips and tricks to help you conserve energy and water as you celebrate with your nearest and dearest.

Light it up

Planning on putting up a Christmas tree and lights? Use LED lights instead of conventional ones. They use less energy, typically around 80% less than halogen, last longer and are sure to give your tree the perfect sparkle. And don’t forget to switch them off when you are turning in for the night – better yet, switch them off at the socket.

• Try solar powered fairy lights and decorations - even on a cloudy December day, you should be able to capture enough free sunlight to power your LED decorations at night.
• Use a timer – a lot of modern Christmas lights have a timer that keeps them on for around eight hours and turns them off for the rest of the day. You can also pick up a timer socket to plug the lights into and set this to the perfect time to help you and your family get into the spirit.
• Bonus tip – use the kettle to boil the right amount of water first, then pour it into the pan. It will use less energy and speed things up.

Bring the Merry

Entertaining during the festive season can get stressful. It can also see a large spike in energy and water usage when cooking a big meal for friends and family. Thinking differently about the appliances you use and the way you prepare the big feast can help you reduce your environmental impact and save you money.

• Feeding a crowd or simply wanting to meal prep? Batch cooking in an electric oven will save energy compared to using the oven multiple times.
• Using an air fryer, microwave or slow cooker is often a more energy efficient method of cooking.
• Put a lid on it – When parboiling your potatoes ahead of roasting them, or boiling water on the stove, keep the lid on your pot – it will use around 10% less energy and it will speed up cooking and boiling.

Embrace the Cosy

What’s better during cold winter nights than huddling under a thick blanket with a warm beverage? The Danish concept of hygge (pronounced ‘hoo-gah’) is huge right now and is all about being cosy and comfortable, and it works well for saving energy as well. Think thick jumpers and blankets while turning down the thermostat, turning off the lights and switching on LED candles scattered around a room, reading a thick novel or playing board games rather than using screens, and tucking into warming food and drink.

• Explore your local charity shop and jump on the Festive Fashion trend – try to find that perfect ugly Christmas jumper or party outfit. You’ll be saving money and improving your carbon footprint at the same time.
• Host a board games night – gather friends and family for a low stress evening of classic board games. You could even include an ugly Christmas jumper competition and encourage guests to bring a plate of festive treats to share. It’ll take some of the stress out of hosting and give a different spin on a holiday gathering.
• When you do have people around and you’re spending more time in the kitchen, you’re likely to be warm enough from the heat generated by cooking and additional people in your home – so try turning down the thermostat by one degree.

Make a splash

Welcoming people into your home, having guests stay and cooking for more people naturally means using more water over the festive season. There are simple actions you can take to help tackle the extra usage while still making a splash. Make sure you are fully loading your washing machine and dish washer and running on ECO cycles. Also, most modern powders and capsules are designed to work at lower temperatures, so try washing at 30 degrees or cooler - it’ll help you handle the extra mess while saving money, energy and water, and it’s gentler on your clothes!

• Switch up your shower playlist – It’s easy to spend longer in the shower in colder weather and playing a 3 – 4 minute song while you shower is great way to keep track of how long you are in there. Switch up your playlist to festive classics. Fun up-beat songs like Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree will get you in the spirit and help you curb waste.
• Have leftover ice cubes after a festive get together? Use them to water your pot plants rather than dumping them in the sink. Place a couple of cubes in each pot plant and the slow melting of the cubes will gently hydrate your plants without waste.
• Reuse your vegetable water – After boiling your veg, let the water cool then use it to water your plants. It’s a simple way to keep your plants hydrated and saves you water.

In a Giving Mood?

Why not be the ultimate Festive Eco-Hero and give your loved ones water-saving gadgets as gifts this year. Things like efficient taps, water-saving showerheads and shower timers could be just the ticket – they’re thoughtful and eco-friendly presents that will keep giving throughout the year.