#PowerSwitch: Using less energy should feel good.
Start your #PowerSwitch.
With over 20% of CO2 emissions coming from home energy, you can see just why E.ON Next wants to encourage everyone to use less energy at home.
Let’s highlight the elephant in the room. It’s not about going short, far from it. We know people are more motivated to change their behaviour through positive rewards and not sacrifice, the question is how can we make energy-saving positive and a big win for you?
Well, we’re committed to helping the nation find unexpected benefits from energy reduction in a bid to make using less energy feel rewarding.
We call it PowerSwitch. It’s a shift in mindset and a way of using less whilst getting more in return, like Andrew, one of our E.ON Next customers. He decided to make some simple but significant changes to his energy use and discovered he was actually very good at it. You can read more about him.
Improving your health.
Switch off and spend some quality time together.
On average people watch over 5 hours of TV and online videos every day. Screen time can affect our emotional and physical health, meaning taking some quality time together as a family could improve your wellbeing as well as your energy bills.
Try coming together for fun energy-free activities, like board games or arts and crafts, that inspire the imagination and provide important bonding time. Whatever the weather, you can always grab your wellies and get active with a family walk or kick a ball around your local park. After all, it’s the time spent together that creates our most precious memories.
Reduce your carbon footprint.
By singing along to your shorter shower soundtrack.
By cutting down to 4 minute showers you could save up to £75 a year on electricity. Plus, you will reduce your carbon emissions and use less water, helping to decrease your impact on the planet.
Try showering to your favourite song to help set the pace. Not only will it give you the perfect excuse to fine-tune your shower singing, but you’ll get back precious time to spend on the things that really matter.
Take care of your clothes.
By grabbing your pegs and using nature's tumble dryer.
Tumble dryers are amongst the most energy intensive appliances in the home. A typical household could save up to £60 a year by air drying their clothes where possible. This could be outside on the washing line or indoors on a drying rack.
Even better, air drying helps to protect your clothes, so that they fit better and last longer.
Get a better night's sleep.
By soaking up the sunshine in your home.
Lighting alone accounts for around 5% of the average household’s energy use. By switching off lights when we leave a room the average home could save up to £25 a year.
But why not go one better and try avoiding those light switches more often? Throw your curtains wide and let the sun brighten up your home. Natural light is associated with better mental and physical wellbeing, as well as supporting better sleep. So, be sure to let that sunshine in.
What is renewable energy?
Wind. Solar. Hydroelectric. Biomass. Renewable energy has taken root at the heart of the climate conversation. But how much do you actually know about renewable energy?
The Independent’s Decomplicated series, in partnership with E.ON Next, explores the renewable energy transition on the road to net zero, and answers fundamental questions relating to renewables, such as where it comes from and how it is harnessed.
#PowerSwitch watching, for reading.
To help reduce your screen time and explore mindful energy-saving habits check out this special Binge or Bin episode in partnership with The Independent.
Annabel Nugent, Jacob Stolworthy and Jessie Thompson give their book recommendations and suggest the titles, genres, and authors you might enjoy binge-reading as a #PowerSwitch from binge-watching.
Using less energy should feel-good.
Start your #PowerSwitch with Channel 4's Gogglebox stars Mica & Marcus.
E.ON Next partnered with Mica & Marcus and The Independent to help encourage families to feel good about reducing their energy consumption at home.
Our #PowerSwitch video series, in collaboration with The Independent, sees Mica, Marcus, Shuggy and Yash try alternative and feel-good ways to save energy.
Episode 1.
Cooking with Mica & Marcus.
Episode 2.
Entertainment with Mica & Marcus.
Episode 3.
Body care with Mica & Marcus.
Episode 4
Lighting with Mica & Marcus.
Go further and switch to solar panels.
A 12 panel solar system and battery could see savings of up to £827 a year1 on your home's electricity bill. T&Cs apply.
Go solar1 These are example figures only, based on standardised MCS calculations. Savings are based on property fitted with a south-facing solar array in central England on a roof with a 35-degree tilt and no shading, with electricity consumption of 4,000 kWh per year (with the customer at home all day), at a tariff rate of 27.03p/kWh. The solar array contains 12 x 460W panels (5.52 kWp) generating 5,161 kWh/year, fitted with a 5.1 kWh (5.1 kWh usable) battery.