Newcastle has been named Britain’s ‘greenest’ city based on its green credentials according to a report published by Forum for the Future an environmental think tank.

The report was measured on 13 different factors including air quality, recycling, pollution, ecological footprint of people and animals, plans for the future, life expectancy and the local strategy for tackling climate change. Newcastle got the most points for their excellent air quality, low carbon emissions, low levels of waste and high recycling levels.

The BBC reports that chief executive of Forum for the Future, Peter Madden, said: “Cities with an industrial heritage face genuine challenges, but Newcastle’s success shows that it is possible to overcome the legacy of the past and perform well on many measures of sustainability.”

Newcastle pushed last year’s winner Bristol down to second place and Brighton came third. Bottom of the list includes Hull for the second year running, with Glasgow second to last and then Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

There are many environmentally friendly things that we all can do in our own homes to make it a greener place to live.

If you are a home owner you can do much more than people who are renting, as people that own their own homes have the power to make structural changes to make the home more energy efficient.

Even if you don’t own your own home there are still a few basic tips that we all can do including:

• Changing the light bulbs – Energy saving light bulbs last much longer than standard light bulbs plus they use less energy so will decrease your electricity bills.
• Switch off electrical items and lights when they are not in use.
• Conserve Water – Switch off the tap when not needed and only run the dishwasher with a full load.
• Plant trees around the house – Planting trees will help the environment as they absorb the carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.
• Reuse packaging that goods come in, including plastic bags.
• Recycle old mobile phones, iPods, CDs and other unwanted items for cash.

Making your house a greener place to live can be very easy with a few little changes. Not only can you make or save some money along the way but you will also be making our world a better place to live.

Recycle mobile phones for cash.

Recycle CDs, DVDs or games for cash.

Recycle iPods for cash payments.