Carbon Footprint: How to Reduce the Carbon you Generate

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown that if there is a strong will, radical changes can take hold in a short space of time. However, with most governments currently unwilling to take strong environmental action, it’s down to the individual to make the difference and reduce their carbon footprint.

It’s not too late to stop the environmental catastrophe but we must act now. Individuals and households can have a large impact with some small changes: Here are 8 lifestyle changes to make a difference.

main components of a person's global carbon footprint in tonnes of CO2

The figure above shows the main components which contribute to a person’s carbon footprint. All of the numbers in these areas can be easily reduced, some more than others. Use the ideas below to help make your carbon footprint kinder to the planet.

1 Eating Less Meat is a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint and with today’s meat substitutes you might not even notice. Oxford Martin School found that widespread adoption of a vegetarian diet would cut agricultural emissions by 63%. Going one step further to a vegan diet, can yield cuts of 70%. Not everyone needs to go vegan but a trend towards eating fewer animal products is the biggest reduction in your carbon footprint the average person can achieve, with the exception of frequent fliers.

2 Home Appliances can use a surprising amount of energy. Consider reducing your usage of non-essential one, such as tumble dryers, and switching off others when not in use. Normally, it’s worth buying high quality appliances as they have a lower energy consumption. This not only reduces your carbon footprint but also has financial benefits in the long run.

3 Consumerism and Fast Fashion are responsible for a growing percentage of a person’s carbon footprint. The simple solution is to buy less stuff and second-hand where possible. Apple says 80% of the carbon footprint of a new laptop comes from manufacturing and distribution, not its use. When you must buy new stuff, opting for high quality goods which you know will last rather than the cheapest option makes a big difference.

4 Home Heating and Boilers can play a large part in your carbon footprint, particularly in older houses with outdated technology. Simply adding double-glazing and loft and cavity wall insulation can go a long way to reducing excess emissions, with the added benefit of decreasing your energy bills. Old style boilers can be extremely fuel inefficient - by replacing it with a modern model you can cut your fuel use by up to 50%. Also, look into heat pumps, although expensive to add to a house, they are the future of home heating.

5 Cars are an area where huge reductions in your carbon footprint can be made. For example, according to CREDS, getting rid of your car entirely results in an average reduction of 2040kg of CO2e annually, equivalent to two trans-Atlantic flights. For many people, living totally car-free isn’t possible. Another option is replacing the standard fossil-fuel car with a battery electric car which results in a reduction of 1950kg of CO2e per year. However, it is important to note that the emissions released in the manufacturing of an electric vehicle is often greater than those produced in the vehicle's lifetime.

6 Air Travel has a catastrophic impact on the environment. According to data from the nonprofit Atmosfair, a return flight from London to New York generates 986kg of CO2 per passenger. For reference, this number is higher than the average person's yearly emissions in 56 countries around the world. Even shorter trips, such as from London to Rome and back, can generate 234kg of CO2 per person - more than the yearly average of a resident of 17 countries. The simple solution is to take fewer flights and use other means of transport, such as trains or ferries. If you must fly, definitely consider offsetting [link to donate?] the carbon emissions.

7 Renewable Energy Providers are becoming more common. By switching to a 100% clean energy provider you reduce the demand for fossil fuels and help to make renewable energy companies more competitive. Although these companies charge a premium at the moment, the costs are falling and each person who signs up helps make their model more viable.

8 Installing Renewable Energy on your own property, whether that be solar panels or wind turbines, makes environmental and financial sense. Even now that installation subsidies have been stopped by governments, these methods can power your home and pay for themselves (and more) by selling excess energy back to the grid.

All of these changes can make a huge reduction to your carbon footprint and a step in the right direction to a sustainable world. But you can always do more: consider becoming carbon negative and join us

join us and give back to the environment

Carbon Footprint: How to Reduce the Carbon you Generate

Related Carbon Footprint Articles