More drought and flooding; less ice and snow; more extreme weather incidents; rising sea levels. These are some of the things we can expect from climate change – not exactly a rosy looking future, so what can we do about it?

Thankfully, under a government scheme, energy suppliers are obliged to help people use energy more efficiently by assisting with the supply and costs of installation of energy saving products, as well as providing advice and information on energy efficiency. By installing more energy efficient measures in our homes we can reduce our carbon footprint and save money on our utility bills.

Firstly, start small. By fitting energy saving light bulbs you can save on average around £40 a year and 172kg of carbon, and if you turn the lights off when you leave the room you will save a further 23kg and another tenner. Simply by turning your thermostat down one degree you can slash £50 off your heating bill and 330kg of carbon will be saved.

How energy efficient are your household electrical goods? If they are more than five years old, then the answer is probably ‘not very’. Your freezer is a product that is left on at all times, therefore it can save a huge amount of CO2 over its lifetime if you switch to a modern energy efficient version. Each year you could save around £30 on your electricity bills and 142kg of carbon dioxide won’t be expelled into the atmosphere.

Do you have double-glazing? Most modern houses do these days thankfully. Just by having thicker windows, you will save £110 and a massive 720kg of CO2, simply because you will require less energy to keep your home warm.

Speaking of keeping the heat in – do you have loft and cavity wall insulation? According to British Gas, if you don’t have insulation, £1 in every £4 you spend on heating could be wasted. British Gas are a company keen to save their customers money by saving energy – you can book an appointment with a Heating Advisor on their website, who will provide a free quote on new and efficient central heating systems. They also install insulation for you and until 31 August you can benefit from its sale prices of just £199 for loft insulation. This saves you £150 on your bills each year – so will pay for itself in under 18 months.