By law manufacturers must disclose the energy efficiency of their appliances, rated A to G. These are usually displayed prominently in showrooms. The better the rating, the more energy efficient the appliance is - good for both the environment and your pocket.

When shopping for a new washer, look for a front loading (horizontal-axis) machine. This machine may cost more to buy but uses about a third of the energy and less water than a top-loading machine. With a front loader, you'll also save more on clothes drying, because they remove more water from your clothes during the spin cycle. Look for the Energy Star label.

Installing a food waste disposer is an ideal way to let you spend more time doing the things you want to do around the home and less time worrying about what to do with your messy unwanted food waste. With putrescible waste (kitchen food scraps) accounting for 25% of household waste, using a food waste disposer not only means fewer trips to the wheelie bin but also results in a substantial reduction of waste going to landfill.