One of the best things you can do for the global environment is to make changes in your household to prevent climate change. The good news is, making your home energy-efficient doesn't necessarily mean spending big bucks.

A third of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions result from the use of household energy. Although we are constantly told to turn off appliances, these are relatively low consumers of energy compared with heating and lighting. No house can be considered green until it has dealt with these.

Reduce your energy consumption

• Turn down the thermostat (18 degrees should be perfectly comfortable for a household of healthy, non-elderly people)
• Turn off radiators in unused rooms and hallways
• Close doors to keep heat inside a room
• Turn off appliances at night, and lights when you leave the room
• Set the heating timer accurately so that heating only goes on when needed
• If you have a hot water tank, insulate
  it thoroughly, and reduce your tank temperature to the lowest temperature compatible with a hot shower (usually a small thermostat is attached to the side of the tank)
• Fit low energy light bulbs: they are much cheaper than they were a few years ago, and now cost from only about £2 each. Low energy bulbs also last much longer than conventional ones.
• Fit thermostatic radiator valves (around £15 each) in any rooms which can feel overheated - they turn off a radiator when the room reaches a desired
  temperature.
• Insulating lofts and lagging pipes is very cost-efficient, even in rented accommodation. Loft insulation should cover the joists and can be up to a metre thick before it stops paying for itself - so the more the better!
• Fitting draught-proofing strips on all windows and doors is a cheap way to reduce heat loss.
• If you have a house built after 1920 you must
  consider insulating the wall cavity. It will transform the energy consumption and comfort of your house and may be worth doing even in rented flats.
• Generating your own electricity with wind
  turbines and solar panels is great (I love my solar
  panels!), but this is still very expensive and only really makes sense once you have seriously tackled demand.
• If you can't generate your own power, switch to an electricity supplier which generates an energy from renewable sources. Friends of the Earth [1] recommend Southern Water [2].
• Fix dripping taps.
• Wash up in a bowl, not under a running tap.

Make your house more healthy

There are many ways that buildings affect our health - after all, we spend 80% of our day indoors. Although introduced chemicals are an obvious problem (avoid air fresheners, use eco-paint, and clean whenever possible with water, vinegar and a little detergent), the biggest problems are usually natural.
Reducing dust mites is a priority for allergy and asthma sufferers. Remove carpets wherever possible and vacuum thoroughly.
Mildew and mould are also a major cause of allergies and breathing problems. Wipe down walls and thoroughly ventilate bathrooms - fitting a fan if possible.