Many of us want to be more green in our actions, but like many things in life, its one of those ambitions that isn’t always fulfilled.

However, there are large number of things that can be done to help in the fight for a greener world.

And the good thing is that many of the steps you can take don’t have to take up much time or effort at all.

For example, if you want to use less energy in the home, something a lot of people would like to do, one simple piece of advice would be turn lights off when appropriate.

It’s something we’ve all heard before, but that doesn’t mean we always follow the tip!

At this time of year especially, when you automatically switch a light on in the morning, you might find that, if you give it some thought, this is a use of electricity that isn’t strictly necessary.

If you’re simply having a spot of breakfast in your dining room, do you really need the light on when there is plentiful sun streaming through the window?

Recently, Solartwin.com managing director Barry Johnston recomended that people try using an energy monitor to give themselves an idea of the energy they could avoid using.

“If you walk around the house, switching stuff off, and you can see the energy drop and then switch things back on and see what uses more energy than others,” he said.

He also talked about the high level of energy a kettle uses, relative to a light bulb.

“If you are making a cup of tea, it is only sensible to boil as much as you need and not double,” he said.

The expert also advised switching baths for showers, so next time you reach for the herbal shampoo, it might be wise to opt for a quick rinse under the shower, rather than filling the tub up with water.

When it comes to washing your clothes, meanwhile, he suggested that this should be done at 30 degrees, rather than a higher temperature.

This is more environmentally friendly that a hotter wash, he said, while also recommending that people leave clothes to dry naturally if possible, rather than using a tumble drier.