What can I do?

What we do in the next 10 or 20 years will have a profound effect on the climate in the second half of this century and in the next.

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing
because he could only do a little."
Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)

You may already be doing everything you can to cut your emissions. If not, and you're looking for some more ideas, here's a list to get you started.

Calculate your carbon footprint

If you haven't already done so contact us to calculate your carbon emissions. If you do this first it will be much easier to see which changes can make the biggest difference.

In the UK the average emission per head of CO₂ or equivalent is 14 tonnes per annum. In the developing world the average emission per head is 4 tonnes per annum.

If they all lived like we do, that would add another 40 billion tonnes or so a year - enough to double global emissions.

Ideas for pledges

Pledges to cut transport emissions

Don't fly unless you really have to for 12 months.

Go to school by bus, share a car or walk.

Walk/ cycle journeys of less than 2 miles.

Don't use the car for one day a week for three months.

Do you really need a second or even a third car?

Drive smarter - pump up your tyres and keep the RPM low.

Pledges to cut domestic emissions

Sort out your insulation and switch to low energy light bulbs.

Turn the thermostat down and put on extra clothing.

Turn off the lights when not in use and avoid using standby on the TV or the computer.

Invest in energy efficient appliances (highest energy rating).

Switch to a green energy tariff.

Generate your own renewable energy install solar or wind or geothermal.

Invest in a smart meter. Knowledge is power.

Pledges to cut down on waste

Don't buy things that you don't need - resist all those gadgets, toys, t-shirts and other junk that gets used for a day and then clutters up the place for years...

Don't waste food. Eat seasonal locally sourced food where possible.

Recycle and compost anything that can be composted.

If you fly, the best thing you can do is to stop flying...

And the second best thing you can do is to fly less...

Emissions from 1 person flying to Australia and back = total household emissions for an average family of 4 for a whole year.

One short-haul return flight for a family of four will add 33% to the family's annual carbon emissions.

Do you recycle religiously every week and then fly away for your holidays? Feel good about turning the TV off standby and then jet off by plane on a long weekend?

Your efforts at cutting emissions at home will be dwarfed by the emissions produced by flying. So please, only get on a plane if you really have to ... it's one of the easiest way to slash carbon emissions.

Take the train not the plane ... or better still a coach.

A short haul flight emits six times as much carbon per passenger as a high speed train, and 12 times as much as a coach.

Cut your driving emissions

Drive smarter. Here are some ways to reduce the work your engine does and hence the fuel burned / emissions per mile travelled:

Pump up your tyres.

Carry less in the boot.

Don't speed; faster speeds increase emissions per mile travelled.

Stop and start less if possible.

Don't over rev the engine. Change up a gear a bit earlier - (when the rev counter reaches 2000rpm for a diesel car, or 2500rpm for a petrol car).

Switch off the engine when you're not moving for more than a couple of minutes.

Small is beautiful. A 2.0 litre engine generally emits 40% more CO₂ per mile than a car with an engine size 1.4 - 2.0 litres.

Walk or cycle. More than 30% of the trips made by cars in Europe are for less than 2 miles and 50% for less than 3 miles.

Use public transport - in general buses and trains have much lower per passenger emissions than cars.

Challenge yourself to go for one day a week without getting in the car...

Simple things to do today in your home

 

In the UK emissions from homes are responsible for an estimated 27% of the UK's total carbon emissions.

A report by the Energy Saving Trust predicts that by 2010 the UK could waste up to £11 billion annually and emit around 43 million tonnes of carbon dioxide through wasted energy, such as leaving lights on and leaving appliances on standby (standby power consumption accounts for 2.25% of electricity production).

Change your behaviour:

Only boil water that you actually need.

Turn the lights off when you leave the room.

Wash clothes at 30°C.

Turn the thermostat down by 1 degree in winter.

Turn appliances off at the wall. Don't leave them on standby.

Improve the energy efficiency of your home:

Fit low energy light bulbs.

Ensure your loft , wall cavities and hot water tank are properly insulated.

Install double glazing.

Apply window films to reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.

Invest in top rated appliances.

Replace old and inefficient boilers where possible.

Switch your electricity supply to a green tariff

It only costs around 10% more to source your electricity from 100% renewable sources.

Spread the word

Provision of information and education are key to tackling climate change. So pass on your knowledge, tell your friends what you have done to reduce your emissions. We all follow what our friends are doing to some extent - pass the message on and you will make a difference.

Before you sit back and say 'I'll leave it to the government, remember that governments can only respond to the mood of the electorate. They can only take tough decisions with the support of the electorate. You vote. You dictate the issues on which elections are fought. Your behaviour influences what national leaders view as important. So don't sit back.

Changing your own behaviour and that of those around you might just change the behaviour of a nation.