here are ten tips to reducing your carbon footprint from ecotivity .com
1. Green Energy
Sign up to a green energy supplier that supplies energy generated by wind or hydro power. It won't cost you much more that your current supplier and might actually save you money.
2. Fly Less
Yes, we agree that it?s tricky when you so look forward to that summer sun, but for shorter domestic journeys, like when your need to travel between London and Glasgow, why not take the train.
3. Public Transport on Holiday
When you arrive at your holiday destination, try to stick to public transport rather than making use of a taxi or care hire. Most major cities have fantastically easy to use and good value public transport networks, use them.
4. Boil Only What You Need.
Only boil the water that you are going to use. One of the biggest wastes of electricity in the home is a result of boiling a nearly full kettle to make just one cup of tea or coffee.
5. Turn Your Central Heating Down by One Degree.
Each degree that you turn your heating down by will save you around 10% energy ? with the cost of fuel the way that it is, you?ll save a fair bit of cash too.
6. Do Your Shopping in Just a Single Trip. Better still, where you have the choice of local produce, buy local. The transportation of food is one of the biggest contributors to co2 so always make careful choices in the supermarket. Buy UK produced fruit and veg rather than those apples that have travelled half way around the world to make it to the supermarket shelf. Do the same with wine and beer ? Europe produces some fantastic wine and the UK brews the best beer in the world ? food and drink tastes better when it has small carbon miles! (why not even try your hand at making home-made wine or homebrew?)
7. Get Your House Insulated.
Cavity wall insulation for a three bed semi will cost you around ?300 and will save about ?100 on your heating bills ? for this return on your money; this has to be one of the best investments that you can possibly make.
8. Stop Using The Car So Much.
Stop using the car for work or the school run. Lift share instead ? take it in turns with a friend to do the school run ? as well as reducing emissions, it?ll give you more free time for yourself. Start catching the train or bus to work ? it?s less stressful with someone else doing the driving and will give you time to relax reading the paper or a book.
9. Swich-Off.
Don?t leave your electrical appliances on stand-by. It?s often publicised that if everyone in the UK completely switched off their TV, DVD, stereo or computer, one less power station would be needed.
10. A Green Workplace.
Don?t forget about being green at work too. Just because it?s someone else paying for electricity and heating don?t waste it. Get your employer to write a green policy to raise their awareness. A company that operates with green principles in mind is likely to save money and therefore be more profitable.
Did we miss something that you think should be in the top 10? Please post your comments.
