Are you wondering how to keep warm this winter, whilst spending less and still doing your bit for the environment?

Have you considered a more efficient way of living, but not sure how? Applying to the Green Living Grant Scheme could be the solution you’re looking for.

The Green Living Grant Scheme is an initiative which aims to encourage greener living while helping keep people warm this winter during the cost-of-living crisis.

The scheme is open to the Manx public and offers financial support to make homes more energy efficient. It is administered by the Department for Enterprise and open to homeowners, landlords, and tenants.

If you qualify, you could get up to £5,725 of grant support per property towards works which reduce carbon emissions, which include things like double glazing, external doors, and various types of insulation.

With gas and oil heating in buildings being one of the highest carbon emitting areas on the Isle of Man, these changes not only aim to save you money, but also make a positive impact on the reduction of those emissions.

Following extreme weather events around the globe - catastrophic floods in Turkey and devastating wildfires in Hawaii to name just a few examples - a recent survey was carried out by Island Global Research which showed 51% of Manx residents believe climate change is having an impact on the Isle of Man.

The study also showed 75% of people are concerned about the financial cost of energy and in turn have already started minimising the amount of energy they’re using at home.

So, regardless of your views on climate change, by moving to more energy efficient options to save money, you are also having a positive impact on the amount of emissions the island is producing.

The Green Living Grant Scheme might be able to reward those efforts, whilst making things a bit easier for you. These energy-saving changes also mean you won’t be paying excessive amounts for being warm and comfortable in your own space.

The initiative is part of a range of similar schemes from DEFA and DfE, such as the Energy Doctors - who offer advice on how to conserve energy in your home and lower bills - and the Energy Efficiency Scheme, which has resulted in more than 2,000 houses receiving energy-saving upgrades for free.

These incentives aim to help locals financially during the cost-of-living crisis and encourage people to make steps towards helping government achieve its aim to reach Net Zero by 2050.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, to reach ‘Net Zero’ means to achieve a balance between human-made greenhouse gas emissions - the gases that raise the Earth’s temperature, such as burning fossil fuels for cars - and natural greenhouse gas emissions.

If we have too much of both, the Earth’s temperature rises to more and more dangerous levels, so we need to try to balance out our emissions with those in the natural atmosphere.

To do this, government is focusing on reducing the use of fossil fuels on the island - coal, oil, and gas - and switching to renewable energy, such as solar and wind power.

So why not get in touch with the Green Living Grant Scheme this autumn, becoming more conscious about the planet and doing you bit for the island’s future, whilst saving important pennies and keeping the whole family warm?

So far, more than 2,735 home energy audits have been completed and 597 grants approved.*

To apply, you just need to fill out an online application form, which you can find here: dfe.im/greenliving. You’ll then get a confirmation email from the Department of Enterprise, and a domestic energy assessor will get in touch to sort a good time to conduct the Manx Home Energy Audit.

Hard Copy paper applications are also available by request from the Department.