Carbon Footprint Explained
7th May 2024
Climate change has been occurring ever since the birth of our planet 4.6 billion years ago. The average temperature of the planet has historically varied greatly and the Earth has seen ice ages and warmer periods.
According to some experts the earth is warming at an unprecedented rate. Green house gasses and in particular carbon dioxide contribute to the increasing climate change. Man made carbon dioxide is at an all time high and a large amount of this comes from the energy we use daily.
Your carbon footprint is a measurement in tonnes of the carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere as a result of the electricity and fuel that you use. You can calculate your carbon footprint at the Gov website.
There are various ways to reduce your carbon footprint such as:
- Insulate your home – this includes windows and walls and not just the loft
- Buy energy efficient appliances – always buy an ‘A’ rated appliance
- Switching to LED – LED bulbs are 90% more efficient that traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs and give out the same great light while consuming a fraction of the energy. They last for years too!
- Switch off electrical devices at the wall – rather than leaving your TV on standby why not turn it off at the plug instead
- Cutting down on personal fuel used – switching to diesel cars, walking, cycling or using public transport is always preferable
- Cutting down on air travel – reducing the number of long haul flights and holidaying closer to home
Reducing your carbon footprint not only is helps to reduce the amount of carbon released into the environment but it will also reduce your energy bills.