Top tips for the lazy environmentalist

1. Switch to a green energy supplier on the web
Go to Green Electricity Marketplace or U-switch.

2. Change your lightbulbs
You can do your bit by changing all the bulbs in your home to energy efficient compact fluorescents, which last ten times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Try Pro Eco low energy bulbs.

3. Use less hot water
Heating up water you don't really need is a waste of energy and money. Easy steps include installing a low flow showerhead, boiling just the amount of water you need for your cup of tea and no more, and only washing full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Try the Eco-kettle and this water saving showerhead

4. Turn down the heat & cut out the draughts
Turning down your thermostat by just 1°C could cut your fuel bills by 10%, saving you around £30 a year and the planet around 300kg of CO2. Hot water doesn't need to be scalding either - for most people setting the cylinder thermostat at around 60°C should be fine for washing and bathing. Check out this flowery draught excluder from Cath Kidston or this more masculine selection from Focus DIY.

5. Don't leave your appliances on standby
When it comes to our myriad electrical appliances, off doesn't really mean off. Those little red lights or clock displays are still sucking out energy. Buy a power strip to plug everything into so that you can turn everything off at the mains with just the one switch. And if you're really in to high tech solutions, you can try the Intelliplug which automatically powers off your computer peripherals (monitor, speakers etc) when you switch off your PC.

6. Use less paper
Keep old envelopes as scrap paper for shopping lists, print on the back of letters and switch your printer to print double sided. Use online banking and sign up for paperless billing from phone and utility companies. And of course, read your favourite magazines and newspapers online!

7. Recycle
We all know we should recycle more but we can't always be bothered - and where do you put the stuff that's not going in the bin? Kill two birds with one stone with this clever little bin that allows you to use old shopping bags to sort out your paper, cans and bottles while still looking stylish. See also Recyclenow.

8. Eat less meat and more local, organic food
It takes far more energy, land and water to produce the equivalent amount of calories from meat than from grain or soya. Eating more locally grown, seasonal food, reduces the CO2 needed to ship food around the world. And by eating more organic food, you increase the amount of carbon which is stored in the soil. See Yottam Ottolenghi and read Guardian Unlimited's new seasonal eating column for great recipes.

9. Use a smart meter
Smart meters, which measure your energy consumption, are a great way of keeping track of how much energy you're using. The Electrisave and the stylish DIY Kyoto are portable monitors you can take from room to room to see at a glance which appliances are devouring the most electricity.

10. Get involved, stay informed
There are lots of groups campaigning for tough climate legislation and you can sign up to receive email alerts and e-actions to help them. See Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace or Stop Climate Chaos

Vicki Lesley *
Friday April 6, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

* Vicki Lesley is really quite an active environmentalist. She is making a film about the science and politics of nuclear power. http://www.tennerfilms.com.