Household Utilities The Greener Way

By Author: Daniel Higgins
Total Articles: 9
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Consumers are all too aware of the global warming issue, and many of us are seeking ways to reduce our carbon footprints. Now green energy has arrived, we can all do our bit to ensure that our household gas and electricity supplies come from greener sources, and here we explain how.

When we talk about green energy, we mean energy that is derived from a clean and renewable source. At the moment there are four types of renewable sources available, and energy companies must now ensure that a minimum of 4.9 per cent of the energy they provide comes from these sources.

1. Already we receive some of our energy via wind and hydroelectric power. Windfarms collect wind energy, while hydroelectric dams collect the energy found in fast moving water. Both then convert this energy into power that can be used in our homes. Biomass power refers to the power that can be harnessed from burning organic materials, and solar power is when the energy found in the rays of the sun is transferred into useful power.

2. We can all help to increase the level of green energy produced by signing up to the green tariff options now available ...
... from the majority of energy companies. There are usually two tariffs to choose from, and either one will lead to an increase in green power.

3. There is the Green Power Supply option, which means that for every unit of power that you use, the same amount of green power is generated. You can also choose a Green Fund tariff. This means you pay a little extra for your utility bills, but this extra cash is invested by the utility company into renewable energy projects.

4. Environmentally-friendly energies are attractive to us as they do not produce any damaging waste, unlike the burning of fossil fuels which emits toxic CO2. Using sustainable sources of energy will also help to provide stability as stocks of green energy will never run out, unlike oil, coal and gas. This would mean an end to the energy price rises and crashes we see today.

5. Changing to a green tariff is no different than changing to any other gas or electricity tariff. There is no need to have any work carried out in your home, it is simply a matter of handling your account in a different way. It is likely that your current energy supplier will already have at least one eco-friendly tariff for its customers, if not have a look for suppliers that do by doing a quick online search.

Those choosing to go green will likely pay a little more for their gas and electricity. If you cannot afford to switch to a green tariff, then take a look at the energy companies and how the mix of energy sources that they currently use. Some will already use more green sources to provide their power, so you could make the switch to a more eco-friendly company instead.

British Gas can service all of your gas, electric and central heating boilers requirements.