Ask an expert

Find out the answers to some previous questions to our expert.

Q: I’m trying to save electricity at home. Can you suggest some quick ways to start saving?

A: There are lots of ways to save electricity at home – saving you money and cutting your carbon footprint. Why not try some of the following:

• Switch to energy-saving light bulbs
• Turn appliances off instead of standby
• Wash your clothes at 30°C rather than 40°C
• Line-dry your washing rather than tumble dry
• Boil only as much water in your kettle as you need.

Find out more about how to save electricity at home here.

Q: I’m thinking about a weekend break in Europe. Are ferry journeys greener than short-haul flights?

A: According to carbon consultancy (www.co2balance.com), a short-haul ferry trip to, say, France or Spain is a far greener way to get there than flying. One return flight from Heathrow to Bilbao clocks up about 280kg of carbon dioxide emissions, compared with just 90kg for a return ferry trip from Portsmouth to Bilbao.

Find out more about how to travel greener here.

Q: I have a problem with slugs and snails in my garden. Can you suggest some green alternatives to slug pellets?

A: Chemical-free solutions include coarsely textured material like gravel or crushed seashells instead. Simply sprinkle a thick layer around each plant.

Slugs also don’t like bran or salty things like seaweed as they cause them to dehydrate and die.

If these don’t work, try copper slug rings. Place one around the base of each plant. They work like this: slug tries to climb the copper band, slug gets an ‘electrical charge’ from the copper, slug peels off in disgust!

Make sure the band remains in contact with the soil (or slugs sneak underneath) and remove lower leaves that drop over the band to the soil beyond.

Find out more about greener gardening here.