5 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Emissions

We all want to live greener lives and know that we should be using less plastic, water and food. But most importantly, fewer emissions. Reducing your carbon emissions is a great place to start in your journey to using less. Keep reading for 5 ways that you can get involved and reduce your carbon emissions.

Reduce the amount you drive

The average car emits around six tons of carbon dioxide every year. Which makes driving, one of the leading percentages on your carbon calculator. The toxic fumes emitted by your exhaust also have a damaging effect on human health and can cause a great deal of damage to those who are frequently exposed to these deadly fumes.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to walk or cycle to work given the distance. However, if cycling in the summertime is an option for you then this is a great way to reduce your carbon emissions. If you aren’t able to walk or cycle to work, try to incorporate greener means of transport like buses.

Cut down the meat

The meat and dairy industry is responsible for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. With 58% of this from animal products alone. For every day that you forgo meat and dairy, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 8 pounds which works out to be 2,920 pounds a year.

There are so many schemes to get involved with to help reduce your meat intake like Meatless Monday and even month-long challenges like Veganuary. If you struggle to reduce the amount of meat you are eating because it is a staple in your diet, opt for more locally sourced produce. If you want to learn how your food choices impact the environment, check out the BBC’s food emissions calculator.

Don’t buy fast fashion

Current, fashionable, cheap items that go out of style quickly get dumped in landfills where they produce methane as they decompose. The fashion industry produces 10% of all humanity’s carbon emissions and pollutes our oceans with microplastics. Some of you may not even realise the damaging effects fashion has on the planet. However, with clothing production nearly doubling since 2000, it is no wonder something needs to be done.

Fast fashion appeals to the majority because it is affordable. Instead of choosing your favourite online retailer, why not have a look at some local charity or vintage shops? There are businesses around today, which allow you to rent an outfit for an event you are attending which is perfect for those of you who will buy an outfit and only wear it once.

What are you using in your home?

Conducting an energy audit in your own home is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. This will highlight where you use energy but more importantly where you waste it. A good place to start is changing the lightbulbs to LED. Although they cost more than an incandescent lightbulb they can last up to 25 times longer and use a quarter of the energy.

Switch to renewable energy

Renewable energy sources are much more accessible and cheaper than they ever have been. Installing them can allow you to reduce or completely cut your energy bills. Therefore, this can be a huge benefit to reducing your carbon footprint.

Switching to green energy is a lot easier than some of you may think. There are lots of online services that let you compare green energy tariffs to get the best deals and therefore start saving money on your energy bills.

Conclusion

Follow our top five tips to reduce your carbon footprint. Simple changes can be easy to make and they can have a big impact on not only the health of the planet but your health too. It’s never too late to get involved, so start today and do something great.


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