Carbon Footprint
What exactly are carbon footprints, and how can you eliminate them? Or lessen your environmental impact to improve the planet and make it a better place.
The entire amount of greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) produced by human actions is known as a carbon footprint.
Emissions of greenhouse gases are caused by many of our regular activities.For instance, burning gasoline while driving, heating our homes with gas or oil, or using electricity produced from coal, natural gas, and oil all result in the release of greenhouse gases.Individuals emit different amounts of greenhouse gases depending on their environment, lifestyle, and personal preferences.
For instance:
- The type of fuel your power plant uses to produce the energy and the amount you use will determine how many greenhouse gas emissions are produced by the electricity you use at home.
- The efficiency of your furnace and boiler, the size and insulation of your home, the amount and type of fuel utilised, and these factors together determine the amount of greenhouse gases they generate.
- Your automobile’s emissions are influenced by how you drive, how often you travel, and how fuel-efficient it is (e.g., the amount of time spent idling in traffic).
- Furthermore, recycling lessens the quantity of waste dumped in landfills and the greenhouse gas emissions that occur from processing waste.
Our homes in the UK contribute about 22% of the nation’s carbon emissions, including those from heating, lighting, and appliances.The amount of carbon emissions created by the way we travel, including driving to work or the store or flying around the world on vacation, is second only to heating.
By making simple behavioural changes, choosing low-carbon transportation options, and renovating our homes, we can lower our carbon emissions while also making a difference in the fight against the climate emergency.
How to reduce carbon footprints:
1.Use the thermostat
For the majority of us, controlling our heating is the first step in reducing carbon emissions.By making sure we’re not using more heating than we need, we can cut down on both our carbon emissions and energy consumption.
Investment in contemporary, simple-to-use controls is a good approach to make sure you’re only using the heating when necessary. Heating controls are evolving quickly.For a central heating system, you’ll need a timer or programmer, a room thermostat, and thermostatic radiator valves to accomplish this properly.
2.Low-energy illumination
One of the biggest success stories in household energy saving is lighting.Modern LED bulbs consume 80–90% less energy than conventional lightbulbs, which helps you save money on power and reduces your carbon footprint.
You may be able to cut your carbon dioxide emissions by up to 65kg annually if you switch all the lightbulbs in your house over to LEDs.This is the same amount of carbon dioxide that your car would emit if you drove it 220 miles.
A few practical suggestions to reduce carbon footprints…
1. Quit purchasing water in plastic bottles.Purchase a reusable water bottle, fill it, and carry it around with you at all times.Both money and the environment will benefit.
2. Include some of your frequent short-trip destinations for biking or walking.You can typically do a mile of walking in less than 20 minutes.This is a fantastic way to get some exercise into your hectic day.
3. Maintain adequate tyre pressure on your car’s tyres and get frequent tune-ups.Low tyre pressure forces your automobile to work harder to go from point A to point B, using more gas and producing more pollution.
4. When washing your garments, use the cold water cycle.Additionally, run FULL loads of laundry.This will help you save time and money by reducing the quantity of water and energy utilised.Since using your dryer uses a lot of electricity, bonus points if you line dry!
5. In the summer, set the thermostat to 78, and in the winter, to 67.And when you’re not home, turn off the heat and air conditioning.The impact it makes in your energy cost will astound you.
6. When not in use, unplug electronics and turn off the lights.Every little deed counts!
7. Consume less red meat and more locally produced food.Experience the distinction, feel better, and help Austin’s economy!
I hope you enjoyed the read. Tune in and let me know your thoughts💡
References:
bighospitality.co.uk (n.d.). Steps to sustainability: how to calculate and offset your carbon footprint. [online] bighospitality.co.uk. Available at: https://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Article/2021/12/07/how-can-I-calculate-and-offset-the-carbon-footprint-of-a-hospitality-business.
