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Tackling climate change from the comfort of home....Gina Constantine from Goran near St. Austell is doing her bit to help the climate from the comfort of her own home. Why they are doing things to help the climate.... Gina was concerned that by using too much energy within the home she was adding more carbon emissions to the environment that cause climate change. She is aware that the climate is already changing in Cornwall and wanted to help to protect it by reducing the impact of her own actions within the home. What they are doing.... Gina decided to take steps to help make her home better insulated. This reduces the amount of energy she needs to make her home easy to heat and keep warm. It Since the work has been carried out she has found that she doesn’t need to have her heating set as high as it was or have it switch on for as long as she used to. Her home is warmer and more comfortable and she’s noticed her bills are much lower. The whole thing was organised quickly from the time she made the call to the EEAC, to having the installation finished, it didn’t cost her a penny and she is happy in the knowledge that she is doing her bit to reduce the threat of climate change. Why it’s important….. We all need to keep warm and healthy in our homes, but to do this we have to use energy which results in the production of carbon dioxide which causes climate change. This is because most of the energy we use for heating comes from the fossil fuels coal, oil and gas. Some of us burn these directly in our homes to provide heating, (by using coal, oil or gas) but we also use them indirectly when we use electricity, as most of this comes from power stations that burn fossil fuels. In the UK, 27% of the carbon dioxide we produce comes from the energy we use in our homes. We can keep our homes warm and help the climate by taking steps to reduce the amount of energy we use in the home. Some steps don’t cost anything, such as switching off lights and turning things off standby; others are cheap and simple and quickly pay for themselves through savings in fuel bills. The Energy Saving Trust say the average household could save around two tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by making their home energy efficient and this can also save you up to £300 per year on your household fuel bills. There are approximately 215,000 homes in Cornwall, so if everyone acted this would save a massive 430,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and keep an extra £64.5 million pounds in the local economy. Further information.... Cornwall EEAC can help you use less energy For a simple ten point list of things you can do to help the climate and save energy visit the Energy Saving Trust website. Their website also provides more information on loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and hot water tank jackets. Images courtesy of and copyright of EST
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OptionsThis StoryListen again to this story.... Related Stories4. Cornwall Energy Efficiency Advice Centre 12. Simple ways to save energy at home 20. Working with nature to fight climate change 29. No cost ways to save energy Related LinksClimate Change Cornwall EEAC Energy Saving Trust 10 Simple Steps Home Energy Check Friends of the Earth |
has also helped her to save a lot of money on her fuel bills. Gina contacted the Cornwall Energy Efficiency Advice Centre to find out what she could do and was given free and independent advice on the measures most suitable for her home. They also provided her with advice on what grants were available to help her. As a result of their support she received grants towards loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and a hot water tank jacket. 
at home. You can complete a simple survey of your home to identify what you could do and they can advise you on grants and offers that you could be entitled to for helping cover the cost of installing energy saving measures. You can speak to an advisor on 0800 512012 or email them on 