Going Green: Lowering your carbon footprint on a limited budget​​​​​​​

What is the best option to maximise our personal impact without causing us financial problems? We’ve considered a new heating system, upgrading to a more efficient boiler, buying a second-hand electric car or possibly stretching to solar panels.

This is a great question and in terms of returns on investment, this will depend entirely on your specific home arrangements and travel needs.

Deciding what needs replacing first is a good place to start prioritising your options. Doing your research now can help avoid a “distress” purchase, which are often expensive and stressful.

If your old car needs replacing, then a second-hand electric car will save you considerable money compared to a petrol or diesel alternative depending on how many miles you drive on average each year.

This is because, a used all-electric vehicle (EV) is generally cost comparable compared with a petrol or diesel equivalent model to purchase however, EVs cost far less to run and maintain as they are more efficient. In addition, plugging in and charging the battery at home is far cheaper and convenient than filling up the tank at petrol stations.

EVs also have fewer moving parts so annual service and MOT costs are less and help clean up the air we breathe.

For heating options, if you live in a rural area then, like around 20 per cent of homes, you may burn polluting and expensive oil or LPG rather than methane gas. As you’ve already insulated your home, then a heat pump could be a great next option to keep your home warm and cosy. Instead of buying a new boiler, the good news is there’s a £7,500 grant to help pay for your home upgrade as heat pumps are more expensive to buy.

This boiler upgrade scheme (BUS) is free money from the Government and your installer will fill out the paperwork for you so it’s worth getting a quote from an MCS accredited installer for an air-source heat pump. They are supper efficient and are powered by electricity and are the future of home heating. Visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/families-to-get-more-choice-over-home-upgrades website.

Finally, solar panels are a wonderful way to power your home and electric cars from the sunshine. As well as generating ‘free’ electricity, they also improve your homes EPC rating and therefore the value of your home. However, the precise cost of installing panels and the money you could save from generating green electrons will depend on the size, location and orientation of your home.

A south facing roof is best but not essential. With energy bills remaining high since Russia invaded Ukraine, ask for a quote for a photovoltaic system (PV) and typical payback period. If you have a limited budget then ask for a PV system without a battery as that could save around £5k, which is around half the cost of installation. Visit https://mcscertified.com/find-an-installer/ website.

No one is demanding you make these upgrades and the payback varies but generally motorists and homeowners who have swapped to eco options such as solar panels, EVs and heat pumps are delighted with very high satisfaction ratings.

For more information on options to go green visit the consumer education charity onehome.org.uk website.

Celebrity Spot

Stacey Solomon, the TV star from Sort Your Life Out and Queen of the Jungle recently upcycled her wedding dress from when she married Joe Swash in 2022 for the BAFTA’s red carpet where she was nominated for two awards. Stacey, who is known for her tips on saving money and repurposing clothing and furniture said “I decided to have my wedding dress reworked today because wearing it once feels like a travesty.”

Green swap

Keep a jug of water in the fridge door rather than running the tap to go cold. This will save water, money and time. You can also add a bit of lemon, mint or cucumber to add flavour if preferred.

Here are some seasonal summer food ideas to try now

There are lots of seasonal food around during summer that can help you eat more fresh fruit and vegetables but also help support British farmers.

Buying direct or at local markets can increase the money that stays in the local economy, cut down on food miles and provide real inspiration to try new dishes or old favourites.

During the hot weather we often want simpler and lighter dishes such as salads or risottos. Tomatoes and broad beans are in season and are a delicious way to eat more plant-based food, which is better for the planet and our health.

New potatoes, spinach and chard are available in most supermarkets, so even if you don’t have time to go to a market or there’s no local farm shops, you can still enjoy great tasting food.

My favourite ingredient, aubergines are in season and a quick search will find many simple yet tasty recipes online including vegetarian and vegan options.

There has been lots of publicity about ultra-processed foods being bad for our diet, so eating fresh strawberries or raspberries and other fruit as a sweet treat with homemade sorbet or ice cream is a real win.

Many big stores have a seasonal isle to help you find the best food for each season.

Alternatively, local allotments or neighbours can have a glut of a particular crop and can often give food, such as courgettes, away for free or very low cost that can’t be stored.

The Soil Association has a fantastic website where they list fruit, veg and salads available during each of the four seasons in the UK. Eating what is available, not only helps make perfectly tasty meals with a low environmental impact but should also be more affordable.

They also give a guide of what you can plant at home, if you have green fingers and want to grow your own food. Currently, now is a good time to sow carrots, peas and leeks for example.

In hotter weather, it’s also worth storing fruit and vegetables properly so they don’t spoil and avoid over buying to avoid food waste and save money. Most vegetables last best out of plastic wrappers such as carrots and mushrooms.

It’s also good to keep salads and soft fruits in the fridge as temperature warms.

As extreme weather impacts food production around the world, it is great to support food production in the UK and this hopefully improves our well-being at the same time by eating less processed food and helping us eat the rainbow.

Visit https://www.soilassociation.org/take-action/organic-living/seasonal-food/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20515178848&gbraid=0AAAAADxynHx7VUqz4bjPjD8YSNgubVk6w&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI07ulzKOejQMVIZJQBh0NcijZEAAYASAAEgIuf_D_BwE website.

Fact or fiction

Mosquito numbers are growing in Scotland.

FACT.

While Scottish summers are famous for midge bites research from Glasgow University has confirmed growing numbers of mosquitos and as far north as Shetland.

Citizen science project is showing that as our climate becomes warmer and wetter it provides a perfect condition for mosquitos to thrive

Visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyq59r8x7ro website.