Tips for Reducing CO2 Emissions your fall into a number of categories, this article focuses on what you can do at home and in the workplace to reduce your carbon footprint.

At home

Simple Measures Could Substantially reduces the Emissions from your home, and save you money as well – You Could Be currently paying much more than you need to into gas and electricity bills.

1. Does it need to be so hot? Turning the thermostat down by just one degree can save you up to $ 60 per year on your heating bill and make a real dent in your household’s Emissions.

2. Set your timer efficiently. If you are working regular hours, avoid wasted heat energy by timing your heating to go off 30 minutes before you leave the house, and come on again 30 minutes before you are two to get back.

3. Insulate your loft. You can cut up to 20 per cent from your energy bill by installing good quality loft insulation, it stops heat from escaping and to keep Thus Requires less energy your house warm.

4. Draughts Beat. They’re uncomfortable and The Most Obvious signs of a badly insulated house and can be raised easily fixed with Either Draught-proofing or secondary glazing. You Could Also Fit double glazing and energy saving measure the Most Popular, althoug Actually it saves less from a typical fuel bill than installing (much cheaper) cavity wall insulation. Make sure That You Specify low-glazing, which effectively has a special heat-reflective coating That Reduces heat loss through the window by nearly half.

5. Watch the floors. Sometimes rooms can feel cold to two strong drafts rising up from gaps or Between the Between the floorboards skirting board and the floor. This is raised easily resolved by investing in a tube sealant, Such as silicon. Another way of Reducing draughty floors is to insulate underneath the floorboards on the ground floor.

6. Dress your hot-water tank Correctly.

7. Reflective radiator panels can fit perfectly behind radiators. They are cheap to buy, easy to install heat and reflect, That Would Otherwise drift back through the wall. They can be bought from DIY stores (avoid Those made from PVC), or you can make your own by wrapping tinfoil around cardboard.

8. Draw your curtains at dusk. Sounds Obvious, but a thick pair of curtains can stop a huge amount of heat from escaping through your windows.

9. Put a lid on it. Saucepans with lids on heat much quicker, using less energy in the process.

10. Use your oven sensibly. Do not keep opening it to check Whether your food is ready as this allows heat to escape and will only make your meal take Longer to cook, using more energy, by switching it off And A Few Minutes Before just your food is ready you ‘ That’ll find it’ll stay hot enough to finish cooking the food. Do not buy cut flowers. Because of Their short shelf life, the flowers are flown in Which Gives Them Usually a massive climate change footprint Because of the Aviation Emissions. To avoid this you can buy local grown plants, if you’re still going to buy flowers, choose Those That Are local grown and in season.

11. Turn lights off! For comparison, lighting an empty office overnight can waste the energy required to heat water for 1.000 cups of coffee.

12. Buy energy-saving light bulbs. Some Of These can use less than a quarter of the electricity of Their equivalents, and can last up to 12 times longer. Just one energy efficient light bulb can save you $ 20 per year on your electricity bill.

13. Make the Most of Nature. Light-colored walls, ceilings and floors, as well as mirrors, reflect, daylight, making maximum use of natural light and Reducing the need to use artificial lighting.

14. Use infrared. If you have exterior lights, ask your electrician to fit infrared sensors so the lights only come on That When You pass in front of them.

15. Resist standby. If all UK Households Their TVs turned off at night instead of leaving on standby Them. That goes for PC screens too.

16. Unplug equipment ounces fully charged. Mobile phones, shavers and electric toothbrushes keep drawing electricity Even When the battery is full.

17. Keep fridge and freezer doors closed. Each door is open fridge minute it can take three energy-intensive minutes for it to cool down again. Similarly, it can take as much as half an hour for a freezer to regain ITS temperatures ounces Door Has Been Opened for just sixty seconds. And remember to install the fridge or freezer away from hot appliances and direct sunlight.

18. Keep your freezer full. It takes less energy to keep cool in full freezer than it does an empty one. If you do not have enough food to fill it, use plastic bottles filled with water or even scrunched up newspaper. If you find your freezer is half empty Often, you Might want to think you need Whether Such a large model When It is time to replace it.

19. Think how you cook. Pressure cookers and steamers Both save energy; steamers are Particularly easy to use and very healthy.

20. Finely chop and boil smart. The smaller you make your vegetables, the less time they’ll take to cook. Do not forget to boil only the amount you need That, and match the size of the ring to the size of the saucepan or you’ll be paying to heat air and keep electric hobs clean the rings I can work more efficiently.

21. Only use a washing machine on full load. Ninety percent of the washing machines use energy That Goes Toward heating the water, I switch to a cooler wash temperature: using 40 degrees for all clothes can use a third less electricity per wash. Today’s washing powders are just as effective on low temperatures Programmes, Saving Both Energy and Money.

22. Turn down your thermostat.

At Work

23. Reduce office paper consumption. A government-funded Envirowise campaign reports, Says That Office Paper Consumption is rising by 20 per cent per year. Each worker on average uses 50 sheets of A4 a day. If you work in an office, add the slogan “Think before you print” at the bottom of your emails. If you do have to, print double-sided.

24. Switch off office equipment at night. A photocopier left on overnight uses enough energy to make photocopies 1.500.

25. Invest environmentally. For as little as $ 500 it is possible to join in co-operative Which invests in wind energy projects That Promote emission-free technology. Or You Could renewables adopt a local project.

26. Install your own renewable energy system. Grants are currently available for up to 50 per cent of the capital costs of installing renewable energy. You Might even make a profit: if you produce more than you need, sell the excess back You Could to your energy supplier.

James Nash is a climate scientist with Greatest Planet ( www.greatestplanet.org ). Greatest Planet is a non-profit organization Environmental specialising in carbon offset investments. James Nash is solely Responsible for the contents of this article.