Carbon Footprint – Ideas
Some ideas for cutting your carbon footprint
Home
Little Steps
- Hang out the washing instead of tumble drying
- Only put the washing machine or dishwasher on when full
- Turn down the heating by 1°C
- Spend less time in the shower
- Turn electrical equipment off when, not in use, including items on standby
- Fit LED bulbs
- Seal draughts (but watch out for condensation)
- Install thermostatic valves on radiators
- Install thicker loft insulation
- Replace old freezer/fridge with new energy-efficient A++
- Install cavity wall insulation
Big Steps
- Replace old boiler with new condensing boiler Big
- Install solar panels steps
- Replace boiler with air source heat pump
Transport
Little Steps
- Walk or cycle more for short journeys steps
- Carshare for work or the school run
- Use the bus or train rather than your car
- If possible, work from home some days of the week
Big Steps
- Change your car for something smaller and lower emission
- Big Change your car for an electric vehicle
- Cut out some holiday flights with staycations or using Eurostar to Europe
Goods and Services
Little Steps
- Repair rather than replace your ageing stuff
- Upcycle rather than buying new
- Do you really need that gadget/fashion item, or could you buy it second hand?
- Keep your electronic equipment for longer
- Cut out paper-based newspapers, magazines and new books, rather than read online
- For every new purchase, don’t think can I afford it, rather do I really need it
Big Steps
- Swap high emission leisure activities for lower impact choices
Diet makes up 25% of the average person’s carbon footprint
Food
Little Steps
- Don’t buy bottled water but use the tap
- Buy local fruit and veg or grow your own
- Buy foods in season and avoid foods flown in
- Reduce your consumption of meat and dairy
- Reduce consumption of beef and lamb in favour of pork and chicken
- Ensure no food is wasted; take care with a shopping list, freeze leftovers
- Keep to the above when eating out and/or reduce eating out
Big Steps
- Become vegetarian
- Become vegan
Diet makes up 25% of the average person’s carbon footprint, so is a ripe area for reductions. Our suggested carbon calculator only gives a rough estimate of the total emissions in this category.
If you would like to look at your consumption in more detail, you can download a spreadsheet here. It could be an eye-opener! [Note that the spreadsheet will open as a Google Sheet. If you wish to use Excel then click on File/Download and store it as an Excel file on your computer.]