Climate change is something we are all facing. Whilst the science behind it is almost complex and there are still quite a few unknowns, we all still know that there are choices we can make in our day-to-day lives to lessen our personal impact on the environment.
That’s why we have put together our simple guide to help you to lower your home’s carbon footprint. Make sure to read on below for some of our top tips.
First Things First, What is Your Carbon Footprint?
Your carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come from your day to day life. This includes carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere, therefore causing global warming. Typically the bulk of your carbon footprint will come from transportation, housing and food.
What Can You Do?
Drive Less
One of the most effective ways to begin thinking about reducing your carbon footprint is to consider how much you travel.
Did you know that going carless for a year could save about 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide? It may seem hard to stop using your car, but quickly you’ll realise how you can instead take a train, bus or even better, ride a bike.
However, being more realistic, you could instead;
- Go easy on the gas and brakes. Driving efficiently is a great way to reduce emissions.
- Regularly service your car to keep it more efficient.
- Check your tyres. Keeping tyres at the right air pressure can help to reduce emissions.
- Cut down on using air con.
- Carpool! This is a great way to split emissions between those in the car!
Choose Cleaner Energy
This may be a slightly more expensive option, but a good one if you feel as though you can make the investment.
Make sure to talk to a professional and trusted company, who will be able to advise you on the best energy solutions for you, such as Summit Energies, leading provider of Air Source Heat Pumps in Gloucestershire.
Shop More Sustainably
When you think about shopping more sustainably, this seems like a huge task. However, it doesn’t have to be!
Whether you’re shopping for clothes, groceries, home goods or something else, there are ways to take the climate into account. For example;
- Take a reusable bag to the shops,
- Choose items without packaging,
- Shop less and invest in quality products that will last.
Eat More Sustainably
Whilst food systems are complicated and research is evolving everyday based around how you can eat environmentally-friendly, there are some key ways to help do your bit.
For example, eating local can make a big difference. Fewer food-miles means fewer emissions. In fact, eating only locally grown food for one year could save the greenhouse gas equivalent of driving 1000 miles!
Another way to eat more sustainably, is by simply producing less waste! Some ways to do this include:
- Being aware of bulk. Low-priced food and deals can look amazing, but make sure that you can eat everything before it goes bad.
- Plan your week’s meals. This will stop you buying more than you can eat, and will help you to save money.
- Get creative by reusing your leftovers instead of throwing them away.
- Freeze leftovers and cook in bulk. If you want to extend the life of your roof, including additional leftover portions and even fresh herbs!
What Else Can You Do?
It may seem like a small step, but by doing your bit you could be part of a big change. So, why not take your first step towards a greener and much cleaner future, today?
