Climate Change Tips and Facts on KCLR96FM
Climate Change Tips and Facts as Featured on KCLR 96FM
The following are a sample of Climate Change Tips and Facts which are aired on KCLR 96FM four times a day, 5 days a week to promote easy ways the community of Carlow and Kilkenny can combat Climate Change.
- Do you use your car for short journeys? 60% of all car journeys are under 2 miles so cycling or walking would be a healthy alternative.
- Did you know that driving at a speed over 80 km/hr uses more fuel? Obey speed limits and drive with care for personal safety and a better environment.
- If you lighten the load you can save on fuel so Don't carry unnecessary weight in your car boot and take off unused bike racks or roof boxes.
- If you leave your car running while stationery you are wasting fuel and preventing the catalytic converter from working efficiently which increases pollution in the air.
- Carpooling is a great way to look after the environment so why not offer a lift to a friend or neighbour working in the same area as you.
- Is your attic well insulated? 30% of heat loss in a house occurs through the attic. Good quality attic insulation will prevent heat loss and save 20% on your home heating bills.
- Draught proofing your house to reduce heat loss by keeping curtains closed at night and check that your attic hatch is well sealed and insulated
- Turn off radiators in rooms that are not being used as it is a waste of energy and money. Save money and save the environment at the same time.
- If you turn down your home thermostat by 1ºc and you can reduce your home heating oil bill by 10%. 20ºc is the ideal temperature for living rooms and 18ºc is suitable for bedrooms.
- Why not use the 30 minute rule for Home Heating. Set the heating to switch off 30 minutes before bedtime and to turn on 30 minutes before you get up in the morning.
- Don't forget to use a lagging jacket on your hot water cylinder. This keeps water hotter for longer. It will pay for itself in 2-3 months.
- Servicing your boiler regularly ensures it runs more efficiently and uses less energy
- If you Buy 'A' rated kitchen appliance, you will save considerably on your energy bill as they cost less to run so save energy save money.
- Did you know a half empty washing machine or dishwasher uses the same energy as a full one? So be sure you have a full load every time.
- Don't overfill your kettle and be sure to only boil as much water as you need this will save you energy and money
- Did you know that you can save energy by turning off your iron when you only have one thing left to iron? Irons stay hot after they are switched off, so it will remain hot enough to iron your last item, even when it's plugged out.
- Overfilling your fridge can waste energy. A fridge needs air circulation inside to work better, so don't overfill the fridge. The opposite is true for freezers, which work best when the freezer is full.
- Setting your fridge to a 3-50C will allow it to run efficiently, and save you energy.
- Did you know that your freezer can waste a lot of energy? By defrosting your freezer when ice builds up a quarter inch will save on energy consumption.
- Try to reduce the amount of times you use your tumbledrier. Hang your washing on a clothes line or airer whenever possible. If you must use a clothes dryer, clean out the lint filter each time you use it.
- Avoiding unnecessary electricity use between the peak hours 5pm and 7pm will help reduce national CO2 emissions.
- By plugging out all electrical appliances not in use you will reduce your energy costs. Equipment on stand-by uses up to 20% of the energy it would use when fully on.
- By using compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) instead of traditional bulbs you can save up to 80% of the energy needed to light your home, and they can last up to 15 times as long.
- Remembering to switch off lights when you leave a room will save you energy and money.
- Dusting your lamps and light fixtures with the power off will cut down on your energy consumption. A thin layer of dust reduces light levels wasting energy and money.
- Dusting and cleaning extraction fans around your home will improve their efficiency. Clean extraction fans use less energy.
- Cutting down on buying packaged food will reduce the emissions from energy used in production processes & transportation. It will also reduce packaging waste.
- When shopping, avoid taking a paper bag with every item. Bring your own re-usable bag.
- By buying local produce, you will cut down on food miles. Food often travels long distances before it reaches the dinner table creating large CO2 emissions. Always try to buy local food, grown in season.
- Buying rechargeable batteries is a good investment. You will money and decrease your carbon footprint.
