tips to reduce your carbon footprint

F8511011

WAG11-12228

ISBN 978 0 7504 6225 9

© Crown copyright 2011

How you can help Our climate is changing with implications for our environment, economy and wellbeing here in Wales and across the globe. It is one of the biggest challenges facing the world but we each have the chance to make a difference.

The greenhouse gases we produce through everyday activities contribute to climate change. We can help to slow it down by making some simple changes to the way in which we live and this booklet tells you how.

There are steps you can take at home, work, when travelling or even shopping but you don’t have to do them all at once - start with the ones that work best for you. You’ll be surprised by how quickly the changes you make become habit and many of them will help your health and your wallet too.

Work out your carbon footprint We’ve all got a carbon footprint. Big or small, it’s our own personal measure of how much greenhouse gases we create – the smaller it is, the less impact our lifestyles are having on climate change.

Why not use a carbon calculator to find out your carbon footprint? Visit www.energysaving trust.org.uk to use the Energy Saving Trust’s carbon cutter - simply answer some straightforward questions and it will create a personal action plan for you with hints and tips.

You can also find lots of tips to help reduce your carbon footprint on our website www.walescarbonfootprint.gov.uk.

Once you’ve taken these first steps you may want to find out what else you can do. There are links to other organisations on our website which can give you more advice on how to reduce your footprint even further.

when you are at home…

Fact

:

turn off appliances at

the power

switch

instead of leaving

them on standby.

If everyone in Wales did this we would save enough electricity to power 73,000 homes for a year. That’s enough money saved to pay the TV licences of almost 365,000 homes.

install at least 3 energy saving lightbulbs. They cost a little more to buy but last up to ten times longer than a regular bulb and use a lot less electricity – so they will save you money over their lifetime.

If everyone in the UK had proper insulation, together we’d save enough energy to heat around 2.2 million homes for a year.

turn your thermostat down by 1ºC.

19

15

ºC

Fact

:

install loft

and wall insulation. Grants may be available to help with the cost of insulating your home.

If every home in Wales did this we would save over £65 million a year on our energy bills. Fa

ct:

in the kitchen…

Enough electricity to supply 15,000 homes all year would be saved if everyone did this.

when you make a cup of tea, only

boil as much water

as you need.

Fact

:

Around 22,000

tonnes of carbon

dioxide emissions

would be saved if

everyone did this

- that’s the same

amount of carbon

dioxide released

by driving round

the earth 2,650

times.

Fact

:

compost or

separate and

recycle

your waste

wherever

you can.

wash your laundry at 30ºC rather than at higher

temperatures.

• Fit a water saving device in your toilet.

• Fix leaking taps - it often only takes a new washer.

• If you have an immersion boiler make sure your hot water cylinder is well insulated.

in the bathroom…

take

a 4

min

ute

show

er

inst

ead

of

a ba

th.

A dripping tap could waste more than 15 litres of water a day.

A running tap can use 6 litres of water in one minute - just 10 minutes could be enough to fill a small bath.

Fact

:

try not

to run the tap the

whole time when you clean your teeth.

Fact

:

in the garden…

• Get a water butt to collect rainwater for your garden.

• Sweep paths, patios and driveways instead of hosing them down.

• Use a bucket and sponge to wash your car instead of a hose pipe.

water your garden in the early

morning or evening. This will reduce the amount of

water lost by the heat of the sun.

save water

- use a

watering can, not a hose

when watering your plants.

Composting your kitchen and garden waste at home creates less carbon dioxide than if it was sent to landfill and your plants and flowers will like it too.

If you have a water meter, reducing the amount of tap water you use will also save you money.Fa

ct:

Fact

: get a compost bin. If you don’t have a garden your council may provide a compost collection service.

Alo

ok o

ut fo

r the

labe

l

on fr

idge

s, fr

eeze

rs,

was

hing

mac

hine

s and

dish

was

hers

.

when you are shopping...

choose

energy ‘A’ rated

white goods.Many white goods have to carry an energy efficiency rating from A++ to G. An A+ rated fridge-freezer for instance can save you around £38 every year in running costs.

Fact

:

• Buy products with the least amount of packaging.

• Buy locally produced food - it has not travelled as far to get to the shop which means it will be fresher too.

• Walk to your local corner shop if you can.

In 2010 we took home an estimated 350 million carrier bags in Wales from the major supermarkets alone.

buy products made from recycled materials kitchen towels, toilet tissue and bin liners are just some of the recycled products available.

re-use carrier bags or buy fabric ones which will last.

take your own bags.

when you are travelling...

choose a

fuel efficient car -

you will save money on both

petrol and car tax.

Fact:share

lifts with

friends, neighbours

or colleagues.

Instead of flying abroad, look at local holiday

destinations or perhaps travel to Europe by train.

on average £80 a yearby sharing their commutes with two other drivers!

People who car share can save

Cycling is one of the few carbon-neutral means of transport which means that the amount of harmful gases it emits is negligible.

save petrol and emissions by turning off your car engine when waiting.

Even leaving the car at home just

once a week will make a

difference.

use public transportwhenever you can.

Fact

:

walk or cycleBoth are great exercise

and free!

when you are at work…

use a mug

instead of

disposable cups

for drinks.

turn your lights, computer and other electrical accessories off at the end of the day or when away for long periods.

• Collect office paper for recycling. Also tins, glass and plastic can be recycled in the kitchen.

• Become a Climate Change Champion at work and encourage colleagues to do their bit.

use recycled

printing

paper.

If possible share

essential documents

with colleagues

rather than printing

a copy each.

don’t print documents unless you really need to and print on both sides where you can.

take the stairs instead of the lift - it saves electricity and it’s healthier too!

www.walescarbonfootprint.gov.ukLots of information to help you reduce your carbon footprint.

www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or call free on 0800 512 012. Lots of useful tips, advice and possibly grants.

www.carbontrust.co.uk Advice for businesses.

www.traveline.info Your link to public transport information.

www.sustainwales.comProvides helpful information to help you live sustainably and how you can link up with others.

www.wasteawarenesswales.org.ukInformation about how to recycle and manage your waste.

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