Actions for Residents
Everyone can a play a part in reducing Teignbridge’s carbon footprint. There are lots of no and low-cost changes you can make from walking or cycling more often, to making changes to your diet.
Every change will make a difference.
Save energy and save money
Take steps to reduce your energy use (and bills)
Residents
Energy
Get a Smart Meter
Residents
Energy
Get a Smart Meter
If you don’t have a smart meter and a home energy display, ask your energy supplier to have one fitted in your home. Save money on your energy bill by using it to get to know how your home uses energy, setting and tracking your progress against daily energy budgets, and see how low you can get your energy consumption.
Residents
Energy
Set and forget your boiler temperature
Residents
Energy
Set and forget your boiler temperature
If you have a boiler with a separate hot water cylinder, try reducing your boiler flow temperature to 65°C. This will make your boiler more efficient whilst helping your hot water cylinder to reach 60°C to reduce the risk of Legionnaires disease.
If you’re unsure about how to make these changes, ask your heating engineer when you have your next boiler service. Make sure to heat your home sufficiently to prevent damp and protect your health.
Residents
Energy
Drop it by a degree
Residents
Energy
Drop it by a degree
Try dropping your thermostat by 1°C to save money on your energy bills whilst making sure that you don’t compromise your comfort and health at home.
Residents
Energy
Energy Advice
Residents
Energy
Energy Advice
Get impartial and bespoke advice on home energy efficiency improvements, funding opportunities and help with paying your energy bills.
Visit the Energy Saving Devon website and get inspired by their home energy efficiency Plan Builder, reach out for bespoke and impartial advice, and get the latest on home efficiency funding opportunities.
Residents
Built environment
Set and forget your radiator temperature
Residents
Built environment
Set and forget your radiator temperature
If you have a combi gas boiler, try reducing your radiator flow temperature from its setting down to between 50°C and 60°C.
Evidence shows that gas boilers are often set too high and that they will use less energy when running it at lower temperatures.
If your home can’t quite achieve temperature after making this change, try increasing the radiator flow temperature in increments of 5° until you feel comfortable.
If in doubt, speak to your local boiler specialist.
More actions coming soon
Eat seasonal and local
Take steps to reduce your food’s carbon footprint
Residents
Food, land & sea
Eat more veg
Residents
Food, land & sea
Eat more veg
Give your health a boost by increasing the vegetables in your diet.
Also increasing protein-rich plant-based ingredients, such as beans and pulses is a great way to have a balanced diet and reduce your carbon footprint.
Residents
Food, land & sea
Buy seasonal
Residents
Food, land & sea
Buy seasonal
Enjoy fruit and vegetables when they are at their very best by buying them in-season from local food growers.
This will help you to avoid energy-intensive food growing practices such as artificially heated greenhouses whilst reducing the need to transport perishable goods over long distances.
Residents
Food, land & sea
Eat everything edible
Residents
Food, land & sea
Eat everything edible
Cut your food bill and reduce food waste by planning your next meal around what’s already in your kitchen.
Surprise yourself with new and existing recipes by typing your left-over ingredients into your favourite online search engine. If you already have high-carbon items in your fridge such as meat and dairy, prioritise eating these first.
More actions coming soon
Reduce, reuse, and recycle
Ways to make less waste (and save money)
Residents
Economy
Think reuse and repair
Residents
Economy
Think reuse and repair
Have a cracked phone screen, a faulty household appliance, or clothing needing a stitch or two?
Give your things a new lease of life and save a small fortune by trying your local repair centre or your local repair café instead of buying from new.
Residents
Economy
Buy refurbished and second hand
Residents
Economy
Buy refurbished and second hand
Next time you’re thinking of buying a new phone or an item of clothing, buy it refurbished or pre-loved on the high street or use online marketplaces to prevent the need to manufacture things from new.
Residents
Economy
Repurpose things
Residents
Economy
Repurpose things
Before throwing things away, have a think about how you can repurpose them to prevent the need to recycle or throw things away.
Residents
Economy
Reduce your packaging footprint
Residents
Economy
Reduce your packaging footprint
Where possible, try to reduce your packaging footprint by buying loose fruit and vegetables, using product refill schemes, avoiding multi-packs, or purchasing things in larger containers.
More actions coming soon
People like you are making a difference
People are already making changes and seeing the benefits. We hope our stories will inspire you to make changes.