Living in an eco-friendly way entails changing your habits so that they don’t hurt the environment as much, lowering your carbon footprint, and supporting systems that are good for the environment. Climate change is forcing millions of people to leave their homes, and emissions from wealthy cities are expected to treble by 2050. This means that what each person does is very important for the whole. This all-encompassing handbook, based on the work of Ciaran Wark, Good Energy, and AMC, gives you 40 simple, cost-effective strategies to make your life greener in seven important areas: home, travel, job, school, clothing, food, and personal care. You can help make the world a healthier place in 2025 by following these actions, which may be used in every living space.
Improvements to the home
Install Solar Panels: According to the Energy Saving Trust, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems make power without releasing any emissions, which can save up to one tonne of carbon each year. Combine with battery storage to become energy independent. Grants from the UK can help with costs.Tip: Get used panels from local installers or see if you qualify for reductions through the ECO4 Scheme.
Use Smart Thermostats: WiFi-enabled thermostats, like Google Nest, reduced fossil fuel use by 16.5% by changing the temperature based on how many people are in the house and the weather.Tip: To save money, buy used smart thermostats on eBay for less than £50.
Use LED lights instead: LED bulbs use 80–90% less energy than regular bulbs, which cuts emissions by 40kg per year. According to the Energy Saving Trust, they last up to 12 times longer.Tip: For cheap illumination, buy a lot of LEDs from bargain stores like B&Q.
Get new appliances that use less energy: New appliances with an A rating, like fridges or washers, use less energy. UK rules make sure that spare parts are always available for repairs, which cuts down on 1.5 million tonnes of e-waste.Tip: Get A-rated used appliances from charity shops or Freecycle.
Use Eco-Cleaning Products: To cut down on water pollution, use vinegar, lemon juice, or baking soda mixtures instead of harmful detergents. Ecover and other brands employ ingredients that are good for the environment.Tip: Use things you already have in your pantry to make cleaners. This will save money and cut down on packaging waste.
Choose Biodegradable Products: Use recycled toilet paper, bamboo toothbrushes, or hemp washcloths that break down naturally to cut down on trash in landfills.Tip: To save money, buy biodegradable things in bulk from local zero-waste stores.
Install double- or triple-glazed windows: They have vacuum-sealed gas layers that cut heat loss by 40%, which makes them better at keeping heat in and noise out. Low-E glass makes things work better.Tip: To save money on installation, ask your local government about window grants.
Add insulation to cavity walls: Use wood fibre or polystyrene to insulate cavity walls so that they keep heat in. This is especially important before installing heat pumps in older homes to save electricity.Tip: For a cheap way to add insulation, buy DIY insulation boards from a retailer.
According to Simple Energy Advice, laying blanket insulation rolls between loft joists can help keep 25% of the heat in.Tip: Get extra insulation from builders in your area to save money.
Fill in the cracks between the floorboards with epoxy or wood filler strips to stop drafts and keep heating energy in older homes.Tip: Mix sawdust with glue to make a free filler for your project.
Use Radiator Foil: Put foil sheets behind radiators to reflect heat into rooms. This is a cheap way to insulate walls.Tip: You may cut foil from old rolls or buy cheap packs at hardware stores.
Use draught excluders: Foam or metal strips around doors and windows keep heat from escaping. You can find them at hardware stores for a low price.Tip: Use old fabric scraps to make your own excluders.
Replace Window Seals: To keep your home energy-efficient, replace the seals every 5 to 10 years to keep out drafts and mould.Tip: You may get cheap seals from local hardware stores to do the work yourself.
Upgrade to a modern boiler: A-rated condensing boilers are 25% more efficient since they use waste heat to warm water. Hydrogen-ready alternatives get ready for fuels that will be used in the future.Tip: Look into the ECO4 Scheme for funds to help you pay for a new boiler.
Get your boiler serviced every year: A professional expert will check it often to make sure it works as well as possible, which will save you money on fuel and expenses.Tip: Look at different area engineers to find one that will do the work for less than £100.
Install Heat Pumps: Air source heat pumps make 4kW of heat for every 1kW of power they use, which cuts emissions by 200–600%. The UK Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives out subsidies of £7,500.Tip: Buy refurbished heat pumps from green energy companies to save money.
Use solar thermal systems to heat water and space: They use solar heat to do this, which saves you more than £50 a year on your costs.Tip: To save money, combine with systems you already have.
Go on a trip
Use electric or hybrid cars to get around: Unlike diesel and petrol automobiles, which made up 27% of UK emissions in 2019, electric cars don’t pollute the air with their tailpipes. Less fuel is used by hybrids.Tip: To save money, buy used electric automobiles from vendors in your area.
Limit Plane Travel: Flying uses up one-sixth of the carbon budget for a 1.5°C rise in temperature. Choose to travel by rail, which is becoming more popular across Europe, to minimise your emissions.Tip: Use Trainline to buy rail tickets early to get them for less.
Don’t go on a cruise: cruise ships release 10 times more sulphur oxides than 100 million cars. Instead, choose eco-tourism on land.Tip: For vacations with less carbon, look into camping or hiking in your area.
Booking.com says that 72% of travellers prioritise supporting local businesses, travelling off-season, and utilising reusable bottles to reduce their carbon footprint.Tip: While you’re on the go, use free applications like iNaturalist to do eco-friendly citizen science.
Pick Green Key Accommodation: Choose hotels that satisfy 13 sustainability standards and respect the culture and nature of the area.Tip: Look for certified stays on Green Key’s website that fit your budget.
Unplug Before Travelling: UK estimates say that unplugging devices can save you £50 to £86 a year on standby energy.Tip: To save time, use only one power strip so you can easily unplug it.
Pack Light: Lighter bags require less fuel on planes, which means less pollution on flights that can’t be avoided.Tip: Use old bags to pack little and in an environmentally friendly way.
Give Away Food That Will Go Bad: Before you go, give away food that will go bad to avoid waste and cut down on landfill emissions.Tip: Give away food for free to your neighbours or local food banks.
Carpool for Trips: AMC says that sharing rides can help cut down on emissions, especially when you’re going on an outdoor trip or to work.Tip: Use free community applications like Nextdoor to set up carpools.
Clothes
Less Washing: Washing synthetics less and at lower temperatures will help cut down on microplastic pollution (500,000 tonnes a year from textiles).Tip: Use vinegar to clean spots on clothes to make them last longer between washes.
Don’t throw away; fix: Fix clothes you can wear or buy used clothes to cut down on 1 million tonnes of textile waste in the UK per year.Tip: Watch free YouTube videos to learn how to sew so you can fix garments.
Buy from brands that are good for the environment: To fight ultra-fast fashion, choose clothes that are made to last and are made in an honest way.Tip: Look for cheap, eco-friendly clothes at secondhand stores like Depop.
Food
Eat Less Meat: Methane and nitrous oxide from meat and dairy are the main causes of agricultural emissions. According to Science magazine, cutting back on your intake by 2–3 days a week will lower your footprint by up to 73%.Tip: Buy lentils and other plant-based proteins at local markets to save money on meals.
Buy Local Produce: Food that comes from nearby farms travels less than 1,500 miles, which cuts down on transportation emissions and boosts nutrition.Tip: Sign up for a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program to get fresh, cheap fruits and vegetables in season.
To cut down on 9.5 million tonnes of food waste in the UK in 2018, people should portion their meals and utilise leftovers as fertiliser.Tip: Make a compost bin out of old pallets to get rid of trash for free.
Plant herbs or veggies in window boxes or gardens to cut down on carbon-heavy supply chains.Tip: To save money, start with seeds from local gardening exchanges.
Job
Change Pension Providers: Move your pension money from fossil fuels (which got £128 billion in 2021) to green investments, which will lower emissions by 19 tonnes a year.Tip: Use free web tools to look up suppliers like Nest that offer eco-friendly options.
Cut down on printing: Use digital signatures or email contracts to cut down on the amount of paper that gets thrown away in offices.Tip: Use free solutions like DocuSign to share documents in a way that is good for the environment.
According to GreenMatch, you should use public transport like trains, buses, or bikes to go to work to cut down on car emissions.Tip: Use free bike-sharing apps in cities to go around cheaply.
Be smart about how you use electricity: unplug office devices when you’re not using them and support green energy providers to cut down on usage.Tip: Put timers on shared devices to save energy for free.
Use the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” method to manage office waste in a way that is good for the environment. Set up bins for paper, plastic, and cans to recycle.Tip: To save money, use old containers as recycling bins.
School
Green School Commutes: Kids can walk, bike or take public transport to school to cut down on car emissions, like the cargo bike fad in Copenhagen.Tip: Set up walking buses with your neighbours to make your commutes free and safe.
Use Reusable Lunch Containers: To cut down on school waste, choose beeswax wraps or reusable boxes instead of paper bags.Tip: You can get used lunch cartons for less than £5 at charity shops.
Taking care of yourself
Pick Eco-Friendly Personal Care: Don’t use toothpaste or scrubs with microbeads in them. Instead, use natural products like Lush’s to save the earth.Tip: Use things you already have around the house, like honey, to make your own face masks for free.
Tips for being eco-friendly and saving money
Use old jars for compost, fabric for excluders, or pallets for gardening to save money.
Use Grants: You can get free or subsidised upgrades through UK programs like ECO4 or Boiler Upgrade.
Buy used things: You can get clothes, appliances, or lunch boxes from thrift stores or Freecycle.
Grow from Seeds: Get free seeds from local gardening groups to start your own garden.
Use tools that are free: Use apps like iNaturalist or DocuSign to travel and work in a way that is good for the environment.
Ideas for being eco-friendly
Minimalist home: LED lights, a smart thermostat, and cleaners you make yourself to save money and cut down on carbon emissions.
Travelling in a way that is good for the environment: using the train with a reusable bottle and buying locally.
Green Kitchen: An eco-friendly diet with less meat, more local products, and a compost bin.
You may lessen your impact on the environment in 2025 by doing these 40 eco-friendly things, such as using solar panels and commuting in a way that doesn’t harm the environment. You may make a difference in your community by focussing on improvements that are cheap and easy to do. These changes will help the world and save you money.