Top 10 Ways To Save The Planet

1. Switch to a renewable energy supplier. By heating our homes and using electrical appliances, we are responsible for around a quarter of all the UK's carbon dioxide emissions, which in turn contribute to harmful greenhouse gases. You can reduce these effects by switching to a 'green' supplier, which supports the development of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power - and your bills won`t necessarily be any higher. For more information, visit www.greenenergy.uk.com or www.greenenergy.uk.com

2. Go CarbonNeutral. Another way to reduce the impact of your carbon dioxide emissions is to offset them by contributing to an environmental project. Use the free online calculator at www.carbonneutral.com to work out exactly how much carbon you generate, then find out how you can neutralise it. For example, you can take part in the company's dedicate-a-tree scheme by contributing to forest-planting project. Also look out for companies that operate a CarbonNeutral policy: in London, for instance, Radio Taxis black cabs recently embarked on a programme to measure and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions, and to offset them through renewable energy projects in Sri Lanka and Bulgaria, and forestry projects in the UK and Germany.

3. Switch them off! Appliances still use electricity when they're not being used - unless you turn them off completely. According to the Energy Saving Trust, every year video recorders use £113 million and televisions £50 million worth of electricity while on standby. So save the planet - and money - by turning them off at the wall.

4. Use high-efficiency lightbulbs. They last 12 times longer than normal ones and use only a fraction of the energy. For each bulb you fit, you could save up to £7 on your annual electricity bill.

5. Get your home checked out. For a report on how to conserve power in your house, fill out the Energy Saving Trust's online home energy check at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or call 0800 512 012.

6. Be water-wise. Always check that you have turned taps off properly: a dripping tap loses about two drops a second, which is around 90 litres a week. Fit water-saving devices to toilet cisterns and water-saving taps. And if you have a dishwasher, use it sparingly: half-loaded machines use more than half the water of a full load. Skip a wash a week and you'll save 5,000 litres of water a year.

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