Website of the UK government

Choose jobs that make a difference to the environment

Many DIY projects can help save energy and water as well as making your home more comfortable. Here are a few ideas:

• insulate your home - nearly half the heat lost in an average home is through the roof and walls
• installing loft insulation will keep your home warm for longer and can take just a few hours to fit
• insulate your hot water tank - keeping in the heat will save energy and cut your bills
• fix drips - a dripping tap or overflow can waste a lot of water (just 2 drips a second adds up to about 26 litres of water a day), but a new washer costs just a few pence and can be fitted in minutes
• fit aerators or spray fittings to your basin taps - this can reduce the amount of water you use by up to 50 per cent by mixing in air

• Home insulation Opens new window
• Insulating tanks and pipes Opens new window
• How to save water Opens new window

Think twice about projects that consume energy

Some DIY projects will increase your energy usage significantly, raising your fuel bills and increasing your contribution to climate change. If possible:

• try to avoid putting heating in your conservatory - few conservatories are insulated as well as the rest of the house, so much of the heat will escape through the glass
• think about using solar power for water features and lighting in your garden

Manufacturing tools uses energy and resources, but many are hardly used. The average drill is used for less than 15 minutes in its entire lifetime - consider borrowing or hiring power tools instead of buying.

Use greener materials

The materials and finishes you choose for your DIY jobs can have an impact on the environment. Friendly materials don't necessarily cost more and many are widely available:

• try using reclaimed wood - this saves energy and resources
• buy certified wood - it is estimated that at least a quarter of the timber arriving in to the UK has been produced illegally
• sustainable timber, and other sustainable wood products, can be found by looking for labels from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC) or other forest certification schemes - ask your retailer about certification schemes

• More about FSC, PEFC and other green labels Opens new window
• Green labels and claims

Choose friendlier paints, finishes and preservatives

Most paints contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be harmful to humans, wildlife, plants and even building materials. When you are choosing a paint, finish or preservative, try to find the one with the lowest impact possible for the job you are doing:

• many paints have a label showing VOC content - choose the lowest VOC product you can
• check to see if there is a hazard warning on the label. If you have the choice, choose a product without a hazard warning
• 'natural' or 'all natural' paints, milk paints and white washes can have a lower impact than ordinary paint
• try not to buy more paint than you need - a lot of paint that people buy is never used
• look for the European Ecolabel for indoor paints, which means that they don't contain certain heavy metals like lead or mercury, and are manufactured with reduced solvent emissions and waste by-products

• VOC labelling
• The European Ecolabel
• Advice on how much paint you will need Opens new window

Disposing of paint, finishes and preservatives

Paints, finishes and preservatives need to be disposed of properly, as they can be toxic. This is particularly important if they display an orange hazard label:

• always read the label
• do not pour paint or other chemicals down the drain
• if paints are poured into drains or disposed of in normal household waste then hazardous chemicals can get into the environment - contact your local authority for guidance on disposal   
• you can usually take paint to your local civic amenity site, but some councils will collect it
• you may be able to donate unwanted paint to Community RePaint - this is a network of projects around the UK that distributes unwanted paint to charities, community projects and people living on low incomes

• Find your nearest Community RePaint scheme Opens new window
• How to prevent chemicals from you home polluting lakes and rivers Opens new window

The link below will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.

• Request collection of hazardous waste Opens new window

The wider issue

Over a quarter of timber available in the UK has been produced illegally. Illegal logging and unsustainable forestry practices destroy natural habitats and contribute to climate change. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, so if they are cut down and not replaced there will be more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

Other DIY products contain toxic chemicals that can be dangerous and highly polluting if not used and disposed of properly.

• Pressures on the natural world
• More on pollution

More useful links

• More on green labels
• More information about greener building Opens new window
• The Eco-renovation network Opens new window
• Home improvements: a sustainability guide (Natural Scotland) Opens new window