go green everyday

Excited about Lights out London but want to know how you can do more? Then look no further than our top green tips - click here for the poster - 15 simple steps to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Your actions really can make a difference: so make your routine green!

1). A load of scrap

Rather than reaching for a pristine piece of A4 or that new notebook every time you need to remind yourself to buy those fair trade bananas, why not write it on some scrap paper? Make a pile of all those old letters, print outs or envelopes and write on the back of them instead.

2). Shut it down

We know it's tempting to just to leave your computer on, especially when your screensaver looks so pretty (and your boss is paying the electric bill), but it can really make a difference.

3). Tea for one

We all waste valuable energy just by boiling too much water in the kettle. So when you stumble out of bed tomorrow morning and sleepily navigate your way towards the kettle, try to remember to only boil enough water for yourself - unless you're planning on making a spare cup for an imaginary friend.

4). D.I.Y insulation

Every time you use a radiator a massive proportion of heat escapes into the walls. So do something about it! Simply place some sheets of foil behind your radiators - the heat will be reflected back into the room, keeping you nice and toasty without having to crank up the heating.

5). Put a lid on it

All those randomly sized saucepan lids lurking in the back of your kitchen cupboard were made for a reason. Cooking with a lid on traps heat and steam within the pot, meaning you can cook on a far lower heat and, most importantly, reduces the overall energy required by up to 90%.

6). Have a light bulb moment

Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs really is a no-brainer. As well as lasting up to 15 times longer than a standard bulb, they save loads of energy, cut your electricity bill and cost as little as £3 each. What are you waiting for?

7). Cover up

Even though the weather's finally hotting up you probably still use the central heating on some chilly evenings. Don't. Open up your wardrobe and pick out a nice top instead, it'll do exactly the same job without wasting all that energy.

8). Stop tap measure

Loads of water gets wasted when we leave taps running - up to 5 litres a minute. So next time you're brushing your teeth be sure to turn the tap off. The same goes for shaving guys - clean your razor in the basin rather than under a running tap.

9). Stop the Drop

A dripping tap that loses 2 drops a second will waste more than 90 litres of water a week. So fix leaking taps and make sure they're always fully turned off.

10). Charge up

Purchase rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones. Not only is it far cheaper in the long run, but it is also better for the environment. The energy required to produce a disposable battery is on average 50 times higher than the energy it gives out!

11). Cut out the road rage!

There's a shed load of good reasons why you should slow down on the roads, but did you know that it's guaranteed to save you money. By cutting out the boy-racer style rapid acceleration and braking you can cut your MPG by up to 33 percent, meaning you'll save some serious cash at the fuel pumps.

12). Taste the difference

Some sources claim that food accounts for thirty percent of the goods transported by road. And plenty of long haul fights too. So buy local - check the label on supermarket food to find out where it came from or, better still, head to your local farmer's market and discover a tasty way to help the environment!

13). Double rubbish

When you're busy it can be really easy to slip into bad habits and forget about your recycling. So why not just put a recycling bin next to your rubbish bin. The average household would save a whopping 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half their waste.

14). Fully loaded

Washing your dishes by hand can save up to 50 percent of the water compared with a dishwasher, but if you really are to busy to scrub then at least make sure your machine is full up with dirty dishes - each load will be much more efficient.

15). Go unplugged

Even when your trusty phone and mp3 player chargers aren't hard at work charging they're using up energy. So unplug them when they're not being put to good use. Give them a break!