In order to know how you can save energy, you need to know how much energy you are using. There are a number of websites which offer home energy checks, and by asking questions about your lifestyle and home such as how much you travel, how you heat your home, how often you use a washing machine, and the number of bedrooms you have, a calculation is made about your carbon dioxide emissions. Your results can be saved, and viewed against national averages. In a Guardian newspaper review, carbon footprint calculators on the following websites were rated as among the best:

Act on CO2: The government's calculator

The World Wildlife Fund

National Energy Foundation

You can also get a home energy check online through the Energy Saving Trust, and their calculator tells you how much money you can save a year through making changes. If you complete their online questionnaire, you get a personalised report telling you how much energy and money you could save at home and how.

To measure your electricity use you can buy household electricity consumption meters. These products provide instant feedback about the cost of electricity you are using per hour and calculate your greenhouse emissions. Once installed, the meters are generally easy to use.

Mendip Environment has a limited number of electricity consumption metres which can be loaned to environmental groups. For further information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 08450 177016.

Green energy meters can be bought online from the Centre for Alternative Technology and a number of other sources including:

 

My Greener Home

The Eco Friendly Shop which can deliver within Somerset but also has a shop in Glastonbury

The Green Shop

Some energy suppliers give away free energy meters to customers on special tariffs.