Saving energy at home ....

Cornwall Energy Efficiency Advice Centre (EEAC) provides free and impartial advice to households in Cornwall to help reduce energy use – helping the climate and saving you money.

Why they are doing things to help the climate....

Cornwall EEAC is part of local charity Community Energy Plus which is dedicated to reducing the carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change. As an organisation they have reduced their own energy use for heating, lighting and appliances and they provide free advice to anyone in Cornwall to help them do the same. With their help everyone in Cornwall can make a difference to climate change and save money on fuel bills. They are making a difference and so can you.

What they are doing....

The Cornwall Energy Efficiency Advice Centre is part of a network of 52 advice centres across the UK. They provide free, impartial, locally relevant advice to help households in Cornwall reduce their energy use. They say that every household in Cornwall is eligible for at least a partial grant for insulation and some can even get full central heating installed for free.

Saving energy is simple and by using less we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we are responsible for at home, helping to avoid the risk of future climate change. There are simple things you can do such as turning off lights and appliances when they are not needed, fitting low energy light-bulbs and insulating your home. For a simple list of ten things you could consider click here.

Why it’s important…..

Reducing the amount of energy we use at home is one of the simplest ways to help the climate. Almost all of the energy we use in our homes for heating, lighting and power comes from burning fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that causes climate change. In the UK, 27 per cent of the carbon dioxide we produce comes from the energy we use in our homes.

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 and extra £64.5 million pounds in the local economy.

Cornwall EEAC can help you use less energy 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 advice@cep.org.uk If you prefer doing everything on the internet you can also complete your own DIY Home Energy Check, and the EEAC will send a report back to you with lots of hints and tips on ways to save energy and money.

It’s time to think about the way each of us uses energy, the UK has committed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2010. Business and government are already doing things to reduce their energy use and you have a part to play in making this happen. By committing to save 20 per cent of the energy you use every day in Cornwall you can have a real impact on helping to prevent climate change. You can join the national campaign to make this happen by clicking the logo. By committing you will make a difference to climate change.

Further information....

For more information on the Cornwall EEAC click here
To complete a free home energy check on-line click here
For a simple ten point list of things you can do to help the climate and save energy click here
To commit to save 20% of your carbon dioxide emissions click here

Insulation Photo courtesy of CEP

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