Your planet needs you! How wartime spirit can boost green drive... and save you cash.

LET THERE BE LIGHT: their energy saving

ADOPTING a wartime spirit could help save the planet and MARIE TURBILL hears how it could help save the pennies too..

organisation suggests we all take inspiration from the past, in particular wartime values.

"We are certainly not advocating a return to rationing or indeed enforced personal daily allowances," says Steve Hunter, regional manager of the Energy Saving Trust in the North East, Yorkshire and Humberside.

"However, if we could adopt just a few of the practices used during the war, such as recycling bath water for watering plants, then it would go a long way towards saving energy and reducing our carbon footprint.

"North-east residents who lived through the Second World War were extremely resilient in the face of extreme hardship. People had very little - but they made do." Research suggests today, with the credit crunch firmly biting, the majority of North-east residents believe a similar attitude could help.

Cost cutter Stella has already adopted some changes herself.

"We don't go to the extreme of sitting in the dark or anything," says Stella who lives in Billingham with her husband Paul and their three " MUM-OF-THREE Stella King likes to do her bit for the environment.

Switching lights off, recycling bottles and cans and using energy efficient light bulbs are all common practice for the 25-year-old and her family.

But Stella is first to admit that saving the planet comes as an added bonus rather than being her primary inspiration.

"I do it to save money really," she says.

"We have a mortgage to pay and with electricity, gas and everything going up I try to keep the bills down." Stella has found that adopting a few energy saving measures can really help.

And the Energy Saving Trust says it isn't hard to do - in fact the I tell a JOE not ( children Rebekah, four, Esther, two, and Faith, eight months.

"But in our bedroom we have two bedside lamps with energy saving light bulbs in so we will turn the main light off and just have one of those on instead." When it comes to bath time mum obviously uses just a little water for eight-month-old Faith then she will top it up to jump in herself..

"I always put the two eldest in the bath together." Stella is also saving money in the style of the Make Do And Mend campaign - launched during the Second World War to encourage people to repair and update clothing.

She says she is willing to have a go at fixing the odd broken zip or replacing a button where necessary..

Do your bit

ADOPTING the wartime spirit could help you cut the costs at home while doing your bit for the planet: 1 Make Do And Mend - Clothes rationing began on June 1, 1941, because of a shortage of cloth reaching Britain - much of which was needed for military uniforms, tents and parachutes. The Ministry of Information issued an advice pamphlet called Make Do And Mend that contained tips on how to repair and update existing items.

Adopt the same spirit by customising or adapting your existing wardrobe and repairing items that are in need of a new button or zip.

2 Walk Short Distances - The Ministry of War Transport and Ministry of Labour and National Service encouraged people to travel short distances by foot rather than using public transport. This created space for those travelling on longer journeys and helped free up the already over stretched transport system.

Cut your fuel or transport costs by walking or cycling to work.

3 Save Fuel For Battle - In 1942 the Fuel Saving Scheme was launched. The scheme encouraged families to reduce their fuel consumption and set themselves a 'fuel target' based on the size of their house. Householders had to read their own gas and electricity meters to ensure this wasn't exceeded.

Reduce your fuel bills with small behavioural changes such as only boiling as much water as you need, turning your thermostat down by one degree or ensuring your home is fully insulated.

4 Save Kitchen Scraps to Feed the Pigs! - In 1940 an anti-waste campaign was introduced that encouraged people not to throw away anything that could be consumed.

Today over 30% of an average household bin can be composted. Use a container to collect your compostable waste, such as vegetable peelings and teabags, not only will it reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill but it also provides a free nutrient rich soil for the garden.

5 Don't Waste Water - Households were encouraged to paint a line round their bath tub to ensure they didn't use more than five inches of water, helping to save fuel.

Fixing a dripping tap washer could prevent the waste of up to 5,500 litres of water and, if you're on a water meter, it could save you over pounds 18 a year.

6 Waste Paper Is Still Vital - In the 1940s the Ministry of Supply established a scheme that encouraged people to sort and separate their waste paper, rags and glass and deposit it in their street's salvage bins.

You can drastically cut your waste by making use of recycling services in your area.

7 Dig For Victory - This was a campaign to help combat food shortages in Britain by promoting the planting of allotments in gardens and on public land.

Try and eat locally produced, seasonal fruit and vegetables or grow your own in a patch of garden or a window box.

8 Holiday At Home. The Holidays at Home or Stay at Home Holidays schemes encouraged people to spend their leisure time enjoying the delights of their local area, rather than travelling to other parts of the country.

During the holidays why not spend time visiting parks and attractions in your local area.

9 Don't Be Fuelish! - The Fuel Saving Scheme encouraged people to switch off their lights when they weren't in use, not only at home but also at work.

Trade up your ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones. If every UK household installed just one energy efficient bulb we'd save more than pounds 75m per year.

10 Keep Calm And Carry On - If all of this seems a bit overwhelming remember the most important wartime tip of all, Keep Calm and Carry On! For more energy saving advice call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 or visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk a EVEN the celebs try to do their bit. Here are some of their top tips: TRISHA GODDARD, pictured:"Growing up in a small house with three sisters, I can't remember not sharing a bath.

It was something passed on to us from our parents.

Even now, we still share baths (my husband always has to go after me and my daughters). Also, creating meals out of leftovers is another tip - you can be as creative as you like. Here's another one: when you get a ladder in one leg of your tights, instead of throwing them away, cut that leg off. When you next ladder another pair of tights, cut that offending leg off as well.

Then wear both of your half pairs together to make a complete pair. That's something I learned from my mum." DUNCAN BANNATYNE, pictured: "As my mother told me and I tell my children, always turn off the light when you leave a room and turn off all lights when you leave the house." JOE SWIFT, Gardener's World presenter: "The term 'waste not want not' was always used by my mum and was passed down from her parents. I hate throwing food away (you can make great pasta dishes with leftovers). My grandparents were quite frugal and energy conscious. On an energy level, I do go around turning lights off and notch the heating down or just put on an extra layer rather than turn the heating up." OLIVER HEATH, BBC Changing Rooms presenter: "Technology is key to making a difference to energy consumption and money spent. My grandfather was a tailor and constantly recycled cloth and pieces of material.

I now wear recycled clothes, use energy-saving lightbulbs, low-energy appliances and ensure my home is well insulated." ENERGY-SAVING ADVICE: Steve Hunter, left Celebrity tips

CAPTION(S):

SWITCH: Stella King with Esther turning off lights ENERGY-SAVING ADVICE: Steve Hunter, left SAVE MONEY: You could holiday at home, right, or practice wartime make do and mend, left LET THERE BE LIGHT: Rebekah and sister Esther, left, follow the green advice with their energy saving lightbulbs EARLY LEARNING: Stella with baby Faith and an energy saving lightbulb