Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

In this section we will be looking at ways you can reduce your carbon footprint. Not only will you be doing your bit tohelp minimize the effects of global warming, you will be also be saving money on your household bills by using energy more efficiently.

What is a Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint is a measure of impact that our daily activities have on the environment and in particular climate change.

Measured in units of carbon dioxide, it relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced by our activities through the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.

A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary and the secondary footprint:

• Primary footprint - A measure we have direct control over, the emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels which include domestic energy consumption and personal transportation.
  
  
• Secondary footprint - A measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use, from manufacture to eventual breakdown. The more we use, the more emissions produced on our behalf.
  
  
  

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Almost every aspect of our modern lives can be linked in some way to the production of carbon dioxide emissions. Just by making small changes around the home could make a big difference and reduce your carbon footprint:

• Turn down your central heating by a couple of degrees and use a programmable thermostat to heat rooms only when necessary.
  
  
• Switch off your audio and TV equipment rather than leaving them on standby.
  
  
• Unplugging chargers for electrical equipment as soon as they have charged.
  
  
• Fit energy saving and energy-efficient light bulbs throughout your home and turn off the lights every time you leave a room.
  
  
• Fill the kettle with only as much water as you need.
  
  
• Regularly defrost your fridge and freezer to improve their efficiency. If they are over 15 years old try to replace them with new ones that have a high energy efficiency rating.
  
  
• Insulate your hot water tank, walls and loft.
  
  
• If possible, hang out the washing to dry rather than tumble drying it.
  
  
• Try to do your weekly shopping in a single trip.
  
  
• Don't buy bottled water if your tap water is safe to drink.
  
  
• Recycle as much as possible.
  
  

Making these small changes can make a big difference to your carbon footprint. You will also be making saving on your energy bills and help preserve the environment for many more generations to enjoy.