What is Your
Carbon Footprint?
Your carbon
footprint is the direct effect your actions and lifestyle have on the
environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. Probably the biggest
contributors to your footprint are your travel needs, and your electricity
demands at home. However, all your actions have a direct or indirect
impact, including your diet, and the clothes you wear. We
know cars, buses and airplanes burn gasoline, public transport may use
gasoline and electricity and your home uses a significant portion of your
personal electricity needs that generally comes from fossil fuel burning
power plants. All these actions contribute to accelerating global warming
and climate change.
Reduce your emissions
Reducing your emissions is a vital part of combating climate change. We
encourage everyone to be aware of their energy usage and its effects, and
take steps to reduce this. What remains can be offset through our Carbon
Free program.
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By being more energy efficient at
home, you can reduce your emissions and lower your energy bills by more
than 30%. |
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Adjust your air conditioner and
heater thermostat when you go out and shut down your system when you are
away for extended periods. |
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Turn off and unplug stereos, radios,
TVs, and DVDs when you leave for holidays. These appliances have a
stand-by function that uses energy even when they are turned off.
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Close doors to unused rooms trapping
heating or cooling in rooms in use. |
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Consider switching to compact
fluorescent lighting. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use about 75 per
cent less energy than incandescent bulbs. |
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Insulating your walls and ceilings
can save 20 to 30 percent of home heating bills and reduce CO2 emissions
by as much as 1 ton per year. |
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Clean all of your heating and cooling
appliances, making sure they are dust free. Energy is lost when heating
units have to work harder to draw air through dirty filters. Ensuring
that your air conditioner filter is clean can save 5 percent of the
energy used. |
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Wash your dishes manually, or ensure
your dishwasher is full when you run it. Allow your dishes to air dry,
by not using the heat in the drying cycle can save 20 percent of your
dishwasher's total electricity use. |
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Where possible walk or bike to your
destination. Fuel use through transport constitutes a large proportion
of total UK emissions. |
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Recycle glass, metals, plastics and
paper. |
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Plant shade trees and paint your
house a light color if you live in a warm climate or a dark color if you
live in a cold climate. |
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Turn your refrigerator down.
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Select the most energy-efficient
models when you replace your old appliances. Look for the Energy Star
Label - your assurance that the product saves energy and prevents
pollution. |
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Slow down and drive sensibly. The
faster and more aggressive you drive, the more petrol your car uses.
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