| Ever wondered what the world would be like without | | | | kinetic energy to power turbines. |
| electricity, gas, water on tap and heat? Sounds like a | | | | Biomass - Essentially, this uses natural and waste |
| nightmare, the stuff of Hollywood, right? Wrong. It is | | | | products to produce heat. Think of the old-fashioned |
| a world we could be facing in the not-too-distant | | | | wood-burning heating systems and you have the |
| future, if we don't do something about it. | | | | general idea. Of course, there is much more to it than |
| So what can we do? How do we avoid this scary | | | | just burning wood. Practically any biodegradable |
| scenario? | | | | material can be used. |
| One alternative that is becoming more and more | | | | And that's the basic idea behind green energy. So |
| popular is so-called "green" energy, using renewable | | | | where to start? As well as the simplest ways of |
| resources and harnessing them to provide us with | | | | recycling your rubbish, and growing your own |
| the home comforts we've come to depend on as a | | | | vegetables, you could switch to an energy-efficient |
| species. | | | | supplier of your utilities. |
| There are four basic types of renewable, or "green", | | | | More and more gas and electricity companies are |
| energy: | | | | waking up to the benefits of going green and |
| Solar - using energy from the sun and converting it | | | | offering a green tariff in addition to their regular |
| to heat and electricity. We have all seen solar panels | | | | services. Generally this takes the form of generating |
| doing this wonderful job, but probably never thought | | | | an equal amount of green energy for every unit of |
| you could get one yourself. Well, now you can. | | | | fossil fuel consumed. But there is also the option of |
| Wind - No shortage of this resource in the UK! It's a | | | | paying a little extra into your supplier to be invested |
| good thing too, because wind energy provides a | | | | into renewable energy systems. |
| clean source of power with no nasty emissions into | | | | Remember: we only have one planet. Help to look |
| our precious atmosphere. | | | | after it! |
| Hydroelectric/water - Using another limitless resource | | | | For additional information and energy-saving tips visit |
| (essentially what green energy is all about), | | | | Moneysupermarket. |
| hydro-energy converts stored energy in water into | | | | |