Here are a few top tips
- The number one top tip is to be car free. This is obviously difficult in our rural community poorly served by public transport. We can all use our cars less though, car share and support a car club which has been tried in the past. – Electric bikes (and cars) are becoming so much more popular and with a bike connection to Moretonhampstead and beyond will greatly expand the take up of biking.
- Stop flying! The lockdown has forced us all to do this anyway and desperate as many of us are to fly away as soon as we can, hopefully many more people have realised the richness of our own British landscapes and holidaying potential at home.
- Change your energy provider - https://www.energyswitching.co.uk/green-energy-suppliers/
- Eating a more plant based diet high on the list. This is comparing all the intensive animal farming and we live surrounded by some extremely good high welfare grass fed animals. We do not pay the real costs of eating cheap food and this is always going to be a difficult argument in Chagford where we really want and need to support our local growers, producers, shops and farmers.
- Turn down the dials! Dialling down the thermostat on your central heating and giving your clothes a cool wash, make big impacts.
- Air dry your clothes whenever possible.
- Switching to low energy LED light bulbs
- Consume less! It’s been difficult in the time of lockdown and so much more on-line buying is happening. The closure of Proper Job and Uptown has meant buying pre-owned stuff has been curtailed. Also making it impossible to recycle some of the materials the council doesn’t take. Do you need to make that purchase? Could it be repaired. Buying better quality in the first place can save a lot of wastage.
- Do separate out properly for recycling still far too much is being sent for incineration.
- Compost! Most of us can compost and its simple, rewarding, and so good for our soils.